What is Formula E and How Does It Differ From Formula One?

Since making its debut in the grounds of the Olympic Park in Beijing in 2014, Formula E has grown into a global sensation and entertainment brand. And its popularity is only increasing. According to 2024 statistics, Formula E’s global cumulative TV viewership was up 35% to 491m worldwide, with the Monaco race delivering Formula E’s highest-ever race audience at 40 million. The series has also seen a surge in its global fanbase to an average of 374m for the season, an increase of 23% from the previous season. But still some may wonder what is Formula E and what are the differences between FE and F1?

While we won’t cover everything, we will just point out a few interesting tidbits. We personally care about speed so we will get into that aspect briefly. However, first off Porsche wants new fans and interested parties to know that FE events are worth tuning into because they are jam packed. Porsche states,

“Unlike F1, all three elements that make up a Formula E event take place in a single day. It starts with free practice, where there are two sessions – one of 45 minutes duration, the other 30 minutes. Next? Qualifying. Here things are a little different to most other motorsport series. The 12 teams and 24 cars are broken down into four groups, each containing six drivers, with the groupings defined by the drivers’ positions in the Championship standings. Finally, there’s Super Pole. Here, the six fastest drivers have a lap to earn a spot at the front of the grid but with a sizeable added bonus – the pole sitter also earns three additional Championship points.

Talking of points, when it comes to the races themselves – which are set to 45 minutes plus one lap in duration – the winner receives 25 points, second 18 points, third place gets 15 points, all the way down to a single point for the tenth-placed driver. Like Formula One, each season there are titles for both drivers and manufacturers.”

About the Formula E Championship and “The Need For Speed”

That’s a very comprehensive summary, however, something else to know is that Formula E is the only global all-electric racing series. And it is the highest class of competition for electrically powered single-seater racing cars. While races may not reach the same pace intensity as a Formula 1 race vehicle, don’t be fooled; Formula E cars still pack a powerful, speedy punch. These single-seaters are strapped to a feisty electric motor that outputs 250kW (340PS) of raw power. This may not sound like much when pitted against an F1 car that can generate over 745kW (1025PS) of power, but Formula E cars go from 0-100km/h (0-62mph) in under 2.8s. That’s very quick indeed.

And as driver Pascal Wehrlein once said: “In Formula E, if you’re always driving at the limit, you will only cover about 70 percent of the distance.” Wild. So then, obviously racers who want to win can’t be timid at the wheel. They better haul tail and burn rubber if they want the victory.

Interestingly, Potentia Insight conducted a comprehensive survey of 33,000 adults across 16 markets in order to gauge global interest in Formula E. And findings concluded that these surveyed hardcore racing enthusiasts preferred FE over F1! But why?

What is Formula E and How Does It Differ From Formula One?

The ABB FIA Formula E Championship official statement on these survey results revealed,

“With the battle between drivers, teams and manufacturers at the top of the table peaking in the final stages of the championship, fans ranked Formula E more exciting than ever before and twice as innovative as F1. Thanks to clear race to road technology that the manufacturers are developing on track with Formula E and transferring into their consumer road cars, innovation was seen as a strong differentiator between the two series.”

And innovation has definitely been clearly seen and demonstrated. As Jeff Dodds, CEO of Formula E had announced, Season 11 of the series saw the launch of the GEN3 Evo car, capable of 0-100km/h in 1.82 seconds. A car that no doubt provides an even more entertaining racing experience for fans.

Nevertheless, FE is also the first global sport to be certified with a net zero carbon footprint. Thus making it an awesome platform and event for promoting all-electric vehicles as the future of global mobility. So if you love racing but haven’t had a chance to check out Formula E you should.

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