 Daniel Abt driving the Gen3 at a2023 Berlin ePrix demo | |
| Category | Formula E |
|---|---|
| Constructor | Spark Racing Technology |
| Designer | Alessandra Ciliberti (Technical Director)[1] |
| Predecessor | Spark SRT05e |
| Successor | Formula E Gen4 |
| Technical specifications | |
| Chassis | Carbon fibre andaluminiummonocoque |
| Length | 5,016.2 mm (197.5 in) |
| Width | 1,700 mm (66.9 in) |
| Height | 1,023.4 mm (40.3 in) |
| Wheelbase | 2,970.5 mm (116.9 in) |
| Electric motor | Variousmid-mounted |
| Transmission | Various unknown |
| Battery | 47 kW·h (169 MJ) 12.77 C byWAE Technologies |
| Power | GENBETA: 400 kW (536 hp; 544 PS)[2] Max: 350 kW (469 hp; 476 PS) Race: 300 kW (402 hp; 408 PS) |
| Weight |
|
| Tyres | Hankook |
| Competition history | |
| Notable entrants |  DS Penske Nio 333 RacingERT Formula E TeamCupra Kiro ABT CUPRA Formula E Team Lola Yamaha Abt Formula E TeamNEOM McLaren Formula E Team Maserati MSG Racing Mahindra RacingJaguar TCS RacingPorsche Formula E TeamEnvision Racing Nissan Formula E TeamAndretti Formula ECitroën Racing |
TheFormula E Gen3, also known asSpark Gen3 or simply Gen3, is an electric formula race car designed for use in theFIA Formula E Championship. The car is the successor to theSRT05e, and is constructed bySpark Racing Technology. It is used as the base car for all manufacturers and teams from the2022–23 Formula E World Championship onwards. The upgradedGen3 Evo has been used from2024–25 season onwards. It is the first ever Formula E car withall-wheel drive to race internationally.[3]
In July 2020 it was announced that Spark Racing Technology would build the chassis and supply the front axles,Williams Advanced Engineering would supply the batteries, andHankook would supply all-weather tires that incorporate bio-material and sustainable rubber.[4]
The wheelbase is 2,970 mm (117 in) and the weight is 760 kg (1,676 lb) without the 80 kg (176 lb) driver allocation for a total of 840 kg (1,851.9 lb). It has a manufacturer-developed rear axle electric motor which is limited to a maximum of 350 kW (469 hp; 476 PS) in qualifying and attack mode, and 300 kW (402 hp; 408 PS) in race mode. The front axle is equipped with a standardized Front Powertrain Kit (FPK), which is a 350 kW (469 hp; 476 PS) drive unit supplied byLucid Motors solely used for regenerative braking. The package, which also includes the single-speed gear reduction, differential, and inverter, weighs 32 kg (71 lb) and fits within the dimensions of 259 mm × 343 mm × 266 mm (10.2 in × 13.5 in × 10.5 in). The motor has a maximum speed of 19,500 RPM and has a power density of 15.6 hp/kg. The FPK is limited to 250 kW of regeneration, which along with 350 kW from the rear axle allows for 600 kW of regenerative braking in total.[5] The battery is a 47 kWh liquid cooled unit weighing 284 kg (626 lb) and limited to 38.5 kWh usable capacity in races. The battery is also designed to handle "flash-charging" at rates of up to 600 kW,[6] allowing pitstop recharging into the championship for the first time;[7] however, the introduction of fast charging was postponed due to battery issues persistent throughout testing.[8] The theoretical top speed is 322 km/h (200 mph).[9][10] Thepower-to-weight ratio is roughly equivalent to anAudi RS5 Turbo DTM.
The Gen3 Evo car was introduced for the 2024–2025 season. The front wing was changed to reintroduce an upper element and a more covered front wheel seen on previous generations for their lower drag, better durability and altered aesthetics. The Hankook tires were modified to provide 5-10% more grip after driver feedback. While peak power remains at 350kW, the extra 50kW over the standard race mode is now provided by the FPK, enabling all-wheel drive for use during qualifying, race starts, and Attack Mode. The changes are expected to decrease laptimes by 1–1.5 seconds and improve the utility of Attack Mode's additional power, which was previously limited by insufficient traction. The addition of customizable headlights and noise generators were considered to help differentiate manufacturers, but were ultimately not implemented.[11]
The GENBETA is a modified version of the Gen3 racecar. It has enhanced battery output, all-wheel drive, softer iON Race tyre compound, and 3D printed front wing endplates, wheel fins and a wind deflector. It has been used to break two different world records.
During the2023 London ePrix weekend, then-McLaren driverJake Hughes set a newGuinness World Record for indoor speed by hitting 218.71 km/h (135.9 mph) inside London'sExCeL Centre. The previous record for fastest speed achieved by a vehicle indoors was 165.20 km/h (102.65 mph) set by American driverLeh Keen in aPorsche Taycan Turbo S at theNew Orleans Convention Centre in 2021.[12]
In January 2024, Reem Al Aboud set a new record forFIAsingle-seater acceleration. She drove the GENBETA from 0-100km/h (0-60mph) in 2.49 seconds, beating the previous benchmark of 2.6 seconds, which was set in aFormula One car.[13]