Formula E Gen4 Could Close In on Formula 1 Pace

Formula E co-founder Alberto Longo believes the championship’s incoming Gen4 cars could be close to Formula 1 lap times at many circuits by the fourth season of the new four-year cycle. The all-electric series has completed its Gen3 era following the London E-Prix and is now preparing for another major technical step.

Longo said the scale of development between Formula E car generations makes direct comparisons difficult, but argued Gen4 will represent a significant advance in racing performance and technology. The expectation is that the new cars will reach around 335 kmph, while lap times could improve by six to 10 seconds at circuits through increased downforce, powertrain development and new tyres.

The prospect of Formula E drawing nearer to Formula 1 pace matters because it would strengthen the series’ argument that electric racing can deliver top-level speed while maintaining a distinct technological identity. Longo said the closing gap should become especially clear as the Gen4 cycle develops.

Gen4 performance target and Formula 1 comparison

“What is fascinating in Formula E is to see the steps,” Longo said, pointing to the major technological changes the championship has made every two or three years. He said Gen3 had already been difficult to compare with Gen2 and predicted an even greater difference between Gen3 and Gen4.

“It will be very difficult to compare Gen3 to Gen4,” Longo said. “Because we speak to another level in terms of racing level, technology.”

His longer-term forecast was that the new machinery could bring Formula E close to Formula 1’s benchmark on a number of tracks. “By the time we end Gen4, in the fourth season of Gen4, we will be very close to times of Formula 1 in many tracks,” he said.

Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds also sees considerable potential in the championship’s development curve, though he said its success should not be judged solely by how close it comes to Formula 1. Dodds noted that Formula E is 12 years old, compared with Formula 1’s 76-year history, and described the electric championship’s growth as “hyper-growth” while it builds a different proposition.

Dodds, who has worked in the Formula 1 ecosystem and calls himself an F1 fan, said there is room for both championships to succeed. “We don’t need Formula 1 to fail for us to be successful or vice versa,” he said.

He added that Formula E already accelerates faster than a Formula 1 car and suggested that continued progress in electric technology could eventually put the series ahead of combustion-powered racing over the next several years.

Efficiency, audience growth and manufacturer interest

Efficiency remains central to Formula E’s case for its future. Dodds said the most efficient Formula 1 combustion engine operates at roughly 55 per cent efficiency, while Gen4 technology is expected to reach the region of 97 to 98 per cent. He argued that the different sound of electric racing reflects that efficiency rather than a shortcoming compared with the traditional engine noise associated with motorsport.

Longo said a new Disney Plus partnership can help address Formula E’s need for greater awareness, particularly among younger viewers. He called the combination of Gen4 performance, the on-track show and increased television and streaming reach a potential “game changer” for the championship.

The series has also faced questions after major manufacturers including Audi and BMW left. Longo said such departures are not automatically a concern, arguing that manufacturers come and go across major racing categories. He said the key issue would be a lack of interest from replacements, which he said has not occurred.

Longo pointed to the continued involvement of Porsche, Jaguar and Maserati, saying Formula E remains relevant to manufacturers because the technology developed in the championship can ultimately reach road cars. For Formula E, Gen4 is therefore intended to be more than a speed increase: it is the next test of its claim that electric racing can combine performance, efficiency and a growing audience.