From 0 to 100 km/h in 1.86 seconds! Formula E presents "Gen3 Evo" car upgrade in Monaco

As announced, Formula E unveiled its new car for the next two seasons in Monaco on Thursday evening. The so-called Gen3 Evo has not only evolved visually, but also promises a significant leap in performance. It should reach 100 km/h from a standstill in just 1.86 seconds - clearly faster than a Formula 1 car!

The Gen3 Evo was unveiled with a series of technical upgrades and a redesigned body kit at Prince Albert II's private automobile museum in the run-up to the Monaco E-Prix. The biggest surprise was the more aggressive new look, which was designed to be more muscular and robust than the current Gen3 car.

On the one hand, the new front section is striking. Formula E has said goodbye to the angled side panels and opted for a double front wing - a similar design to the Gen1 car upgrade. In addition, the electric racing car is no longer so triangular when viewed from above: only behind the wheel suspension does the chassis diverge in softly sweeping curves, creating a sleeker and more dynamic look.

Small air flaps have also been fitted in front of the rear wheels. However, only minimal changes have been made to the aerodynamics, revealed Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds on Wednesday when asked by e-Formula.news - a minimally improved air flow compensates for three additional kilograms more or less. The slipstream battles of the first two Gen3 years will therefore continue in the 2025 and 2026 seasons - and are in part what Formula E wants.

All-wheel drive available for qualifying, race start & attack mode

A number of technical changes have also been made. As was already known, the Gen3 Evo has all-wheel drive. This means that the front motors can no longer only be used for recuperation, but also for acceleration. However, all-wheel drive is only activated during qualifying duels, at the start of the race and in attack mode. The activation of the additional power should therefore have more influence on the racing action again in future.

Another new feature is that supplier Hankook has optimised its iON all-weather tyre. Thanks to a new rubber compound, it is said to offer five to ten per cent more grip. Hankook has also gone one better in terms of sustainability: The new tyre is made from 35 percent recycled and sustainable materials - an increase of nine percent compared to the current Gen3 specification.

These two upgrades result in surprisingly fast acceleration. The Gen3 Evo car is said to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 1.86 seconds - a crazy figure! This means that the electric racing car sprints 36 per cent faster than the current Gen3 car and 30 per cent faster than the current Formula 1 racing cars. Formula E expects a time difference of around two seconds for a qualifying lap in Monaco.

CEO Dodds raves about "unprecedented acceleration"

"The Gen3 Evo heralds a ground-breaking chapter in the evolution of Formula E, embodying our dedication to innovation and high performance achieved sustainably", said Formula E CEO Dodds. "Featuring unprecedented acceleration and an advanced aerodynamic design, the car that I had the honour of unveiling in Monaco is set to intensify the thrill of our racing, captivating our drivers and fans around the world with truly superior capabilities and performance."

"The FIA and Formula E have been working hard on the development process of this new Gen3 Evo race car, which represents another significant leap forward in electric racing technology," said Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA. "I would like to thank both FIA and Formula E teams for the hard work which underlines our shared commitment to pushing the boundaries of sustainable motorsport, while delivering competitive racing."

The Gen3 Evo is expected to see its first official session at this year's pre-season tests in Valencia. These are currently scheduled for the week of 4 November. According to rumours, the next Formula E season could also start this calendar year already. However, the provisional 2024/25 race calendar will only be presented in the coming weeks.