Formula E has revealed its generation 4 car, capable of speeds over 350 km/h and accelerating faster than Formula 1 vehicles. While battery limitations persist, advancements suggest electric racers could soon match or exceed Formula 1 lap times. The new car debuts in December 2026.
Formula E, the electric racing championship launched in 2014, continues to push boundaries in motorsport technology. The series has just unveiled its generation 4 car, which generates up to 600 kilowatts of power—equivalent to 815 horsepower—allowing it to reach speeds above 350 kilometres per hour, an improvement from the current 320 km/h of generation 3 models.
Formula 1 cars maintain a slight advantage in top speed, exceeding 370 km/h, but Formula E vehicles already accelerate 30 per cent faster. The generation 3 car achieves 0 to 60 miles per hour in 1.82 seconds. Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds predicts that over the coming years, the cars will lap tracks like Silverstone or Monte Carlo at paces equivalent to or faster than Formula 1. “Over the coming years, the car will have the potential to lap at an equivalent pace to a Formula 1 car or exceed it,” Dodds says. “It’s rather a function of physics as opposed to a function of our expertise.”
Electric motors provide key efficiencies, converting 96 per cent of energy into motion, compared to 50 per cent for Formula 1's hybrid engines. Nearly half of a Formula E car's energy comes from regenerative braking. The generation 4 features permanent all-wheel drive with separate motors for each axle, potentially enhancing acceleration, though tyre grip remains under development.
Battery capacity poses the main challenge. Early Formula E races required mid-race car swaps due to limited endurance. Sylvain Filippi, director of the Envision Racing team, notes, “We still haven’t managed to put the equivalent of 80 litres of fuel into one battery. It does not exist yet.” The series plans a switch to solid-state batteries in the generation 5 car for better energy density and lighter weight.
Daniel Auger of Cranfield University, UK, acknowledges the potential for exciting races but cautions that batteries will likely limit Formula E over multiple laps. Manufacturers like Porsche, Jaguar, and Nissan will refine the generation 4 powertrains ahead of the December 2026 debut. These innovations could benefit road electric vehicles, as seen in Porsche's direct oil cooling for the Cayenne Electric. Graham Evans at S&P Global highlights that Formula E demonstrates electric vehicles can match or surpass combustion engines while being more environmentally sustainable.