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Engineered for
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the extreme
Extreme races in the remotest corners of the world
Max. 12 teams split into two groups with one male and one female driver will race in 5 locations.
Think an electric car is only for commuting in the city? Think again. The new Extreme E race series will take you to the wildest and most untamed regions of the planet. With teams of professional drivers competing in extreme conditions for the ultimate prize, motorsports have never been so electrifying.
With the momentum of the Formula E series, where global audiences have grown to 330 million in just four seasons, the time is right for a whole new kind of racing event. Extreme E brings high-performance sports utility vehicles to the harshest road conditions imaginable, where only the most fearless drivers supported by precisely engineered technology can succeed.
As Extreme E kicks off, max. 12 teams with one male and one female driver will race in 5 locations. And as a founding partner of the series, Continental will provide custom-built tires to ensure perfect road grip, whether at Walvis Bay, Namibia, on the coast of the Indian Ocean, in the Arctic, across the desert, or in the tropics.
Extreme E will host a race on the dry subtropical frontier of the Sahara.
3-4 April 2021: Saudi Arabia, Sharaan, Al-`Ula.
First, Extreme E will host a race on the dry subtropical frontier of the Sahara. In this desert region, where more water evaporates from the ground than is replaced by precipitation, the main characteristics are harsh conditions, scarce water and barren landscapes. Four-wheel drive is critical in this environment; while regular cars can drive over hard-packed sand, scaling the shifting terrain of dunes requires more traction and power for all four wheels.
Extreme E is hosting a coastal leg in Senegal.
29 – 30 May 2021: Senegal, Lac Rose.
Extreme E is hosting a race in Senegal, close to Lac Rose. A breathtaking view of the majestic ocean will never be too far away from a driver’s field of view, but first and foremost they’ll have to concentrate on racing over a terrain that combines sand and seawater. Again, the importance of four-wheel drive will come into play for the electric SUVs, racing over a unique surface of sand that’s packed hard and yet nowhere near as arid as in the Saharan desert.
Extreme E is hosting one of its most spectacular races in the arctic.
28 - 29 August 2021: Greenland, Kangerlussuaq, Russell Glacier.
The Arctic sits at the top of the world, a deep ocean covered by drifting pack ice, surrounded by frozen continents and archipelagos. The glaciers continue to retreat dramatically showing the visible effects climate change is having on our planet. In this setting, Extreme E is hosting one of its most spectacular races. The electric vehicles must maintain grip and traction on rocky surfaces while travelling at top speeds.
Extreme E is staging a race in the Amazon rainforest, a tropical climate of hot temperatures and high humidity.
23-24 October 2021: Brazil, Santa Maria, Pará, Amazon.
Extreme E is staging a race in the Amazon rainforest, a tropical climate of hot temperatures and high humidity. It’s also one of the most spectacular ecosystems in the world, with a vast variety of flora and fauna at home in the region. As the name implies, rainfall will be in abundance, and the race track promises to be slick and treacherous. The tires of the all-electric SUV will need to be equally capable of braking performance in both dry and wet conditions, plus superior traction for off-road use.
The last race of the series will take place in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina.
11 – 12 December 2021: Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina.
Patagonia, Argentina will host the last race of season 1. The bay is a safe haven for sea vessels because of its natural deep water harbour, protected by the Pelican Point sand spit, being the only natural harbour of any size along the country's coast. Being rich in plankton and marine life, these waters also draw large numbers of southern right whales, attracting whalers and fishing vessels. The terrain of Walvis Bay, with its large bay and sand dunes, will prove a major test for the competitors. They’ll need to fit tyres that are tough, durable, and manage dry, sandy conditions.
The toughest tire ever made
An extreme race requires extreme tires: Continental tires!
An extreme race requires extreme tires
Extreme E is the most extreme racing series the world has ever seen. A new race, held under such unique and challenging conditions, requires a new kind of tire. As an Extreme E Founding Partner, we’re doing our bit to ensure all contestants have the best possible equipment to deal with whatever trials they face. Continental carefully examined the requirements of the race series and built an ultra-high-performance tire which specifically addresses the needs of the competing teams. The performance optimised tires are not just built for extreme conditions, but also for the unique requirements of the competing pure electric SUVs.
Scorching heat or blistering cold; muddy, sandy or icy – no matter how extreme the conditions, the contestants and their vehicles need a reliable tire that provides grip, traction and excellent performance at every stage of the race. The Continental CrossContact LX, the basis of the new tire developed for Extreme E, is a well-balanced all-season touring tire with a specially designed tread to enhance traction and stability on practically any surface. We further refined its strengths to create a brand new tire especially for the needs of Extreme E. The CrossContact will help contestants safely reach the finish line of the world’s most extreme racing series.
Rally driving has never been so electric
All Extreme E participants use the same set of standardised equipment: the tires, the battery and the SUV-model.
Extremely electric – electric SUVs for extreme races
All Extreme E participants use the same set of standardised equipment. That’s where motorsport manufacturer Spark Racing Technology comes into the picture; they will create, assemble and deliver a brand-new electric SUV model for the brave pioneers of the off-road racing series.
Another critical component of the Extreme E cars will be the battery. The same company which assembled the batteries and cells for the first four seasons of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, Williams Advanced Engineering, is responsible for this essential item.
How to win the Extreme E championship
Extreme E is a global racing championship that sees all-electric SUVs battle head-to-head in some of the world’s most extreme environments.
There are two days of racing per event. The qualifying sessions will take place on the first day before the final rounds will be held on the second day. Each team races twice on day 1 in grids up to four cars. At the end of day 1, the top four progress to semi-final 1 and the bottom four go into semi-final 2, the so called “crazy race”. The top three from semi-final 1 progress to the final, but only one from the all-or-nothing “crazy race”. The winner of the final wins the X prix.
The off-road stages will be around 8 km in length, and there will be two laps per race. After the first lap the drivers have to switch so that one lap is driven by the female and one lap driven by the male driver.