Formula E and Extreme E Founder’s Next Thing: EV Boat Racing
[Sept. 25, 2020]
The announcement came from the Monaco Yacht Club, because where else would you announce the launch of an eccentric new electric boat racing series?
Today, Alejandro Agag, the founder of Formula E and Extreme E, announced his teaming up with Rodi Basso, former Director of Motorsport at McLaren, and Dr. Raffaele Chiulli, President of the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM), to create the UIM E1 World Electric Powerboat Series.
Agag is known among the electrified motorsports community as a founder of the ABB Formula E open-wheel EV racing series and the forthcoming Extreme E off-road racing EV series. Now he’s applying that same formula to the open water.
Alejandro Agag has seen success with Formula E and the soon-to-be Extreme E electric racing series. Now he’s moving into high-end electric boat racing.
“I am delighted that we are today able to announce this unique step forward in marine-based sport,” Agag said. “We believe this series will engage not only the sporting public, and boating and tech enthusiasts around the world, but also ocean conservationists who care about the future of our planet.”
“The earth’s oceans, lakes and rivers are under huge environmental pressure and the E1 World Electric Powerboat Series will lead the way in electrifying water mobility for future generations.”
“Right now the use of electric power on the water is still at an embryonic stage,” Agag added. “My ambition is for the E1 Series to accelerate the adoption of electric boats, to demonstrate how exciting they can be and to promote electric solutions and clean water mobility to marine travel worldwide.”
As for the boats, here’s the down-low per E1:
“The futuristic RaceBird boats being developed for the Series incorporate hydrofoil technology, will be driven by single pilots and will be capable of achieving breathtaking speeds of up to 60 knots – 111 km/hr or 69 mph.”
“The boats are being developed by SeaBird Technologies, a start-up based in the UK that will partner with other companies involved in high performance water vessels to produce a super-fast and superlight, largely one-design race boat.”
“Designed by Sophi Horne, the boats are going to look like nothing else on the water. The concept will be developed in partnership with SailGP, a global racing league that features the world’s fastest sail racing. As part of the strategic partnership, SailGP will also provide support for event and logistics management.”
(Update: The boats are designed by Sophi Horne in collaboration with the designers Sanjay Yadav, Dhruv Khosla, and Avhirup Ghosh for SeaBird Technologies.)
The 15.7-foot-long carbon fiber E1 race boats will utilize a 30 kWh battery to propel the 840 lb boats not through the water, but largely above it, thus reducing drag and increasing efficiency. Batteries will recharge in 30 minutes.
The waterways are nothing new for Agag and his series, as Extreme E recently announced the re-launch of St. Helena, a British Mail ship the series purchased in 2018 and spent millions refurbishing. Extreme E plans to transport its off-road vehicles around the globe via the ship rather than using airfreight, thus reducing the carbon footprint of the series.
The plan, E1 organizers explain, is to attract up to 12 teams to the electric boat-racing series, with each team purchasing two boats, one based in Europe and one that will be stored on the St. Helena, which will be used as a floating paddock for races outside Europe.
Each E1 race weekend will include testing and qualifying, followed by knock-out races leading to a final. An overall champion will be crowned at the end of each season.
Similar to Extreme E, location will be paramount to the E1 series. With E1, series organizers are boasting impressive landscapes and urban waterfronts as the backdrop. Also similar to Formula E and Extreme E, the series is also aiming for a broadcast package.
Will the E1 World Electric Powerboat Series come to fruition? While it seems high concept, Agag managed success with Formula E, and with recent announcements, it seems like Extreme E is actually going to happen, too, so don’t count Agag and E1 out. Yes, details given at the Monaco Yacht Club announcement were limited but, admittedly, it’s early days.
(Images courtesy E1 Series)
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