Everything you need to know about Extreme E
When you hear someone say ‘Using sport as a platform for Climate Action’, you have to stop and lean into that conversation.
The name ‘Extreme E’ sounds like something a jacked-up frat boy came up with for a made-up sport. It doesn’t feel like something that is linked to Global warming or Climate change. And then you realise that it’s Rally car racing with Electric SUVs. It is in extreme locations and is electric – Thus Extreme E.
This sport is the brainchild of Alejandro Agag, who is also the founder and CEO of Formula E – the electric car version of Formula 1. His interest in electric mobility, and bringing the issue of climate change to the forefront, spurred his entry into Rally car racing. Rally cars are known to be extremely inefficient gas guzzlers, which give monstrous power and control for short bursts of race track. Formulating an electric version presents an alternative for a polluting sport.
But the uniqueness of this sport is that the races are to be held in the most sensitive areas of the world, affected by climate change. It is to draw attention to the environmental concerns of that location and to empower the local community. The truly fascinating part is that everything is off the grid, and the intention is to leave the location better than they found it. They intend to have a net-zero carbon footprint by the end of their first season.
Let’s explore the locations and their issues
Each location of the five races has been chosen for its vulnerability to climate change, with the intention of highlighting this issue. It might sound counter-productive to race in a sensitive location, but the sport has created a Science Committee for this very reason. The committee includes scientists from different climate fields, who advise them on each location so as to not cause any further damage.
Al-’Ula, Saudi Arabia – Desertification
The first race took place in the sands of Al-‘Ula in Saudi Arabia. Water scarcity is an important issue and is expected to get worse as the temperatures rise. Droughts will lead to an increase in the size of the desert, leaving those places uninhabitable. This can cause a massive displacement of people and can lead to climate refugees.
Lac Rose, Senegal – Mangroves and Marine eco-systems
Marine ecosystems are threatened across the world, especially Mangroves. These are short trees that grow in salty water, acting as carbon sinks and creating shelter for the indigenous fauna. Mangrove loss leads to soil erosion, floods and depleting fish stock, which severely affect the rural communities. Add to this, the ocean plastic that constantly washes up on the beaches of Senegal, and you have an impending crisis.
Kangerlussuaq, Greenland – Melting Glaciers
The most commonly discussed issue with Climate change is the disappearing glaciers and the accompanying sea ice used by polar bears. What we don’t discuss is how much has already disappeared. This race will take place on dry rocky land which until recently was covered with icy glaciers. This will be in the shadow of the blackening ice, which is now unable to reflect sunlight and thus hastening the melting.
Para, Brazil – Deforestation
Images of wild fires in the rainforests of Brazil are etched into our brains. Along with droughts, scorching tactics by the locals have wiped out lush green forests to make way for cattle pens and agriculture. The Amazon is known as the lungs of the world and we’ve been actively wiping it out, causing severe changes in the weather patterns of the world.
Tierra del Fuego, Argentina – Mountain Glaciers
The last race was supposed to be in the Himalayas, but that changed due to the pandemic. So, they shifted to another mountain range affected by rising temperatures. The glacial retreat in Argentina is changing the mountain ecosystem, with the snowline constantly rising. These mountain glaciers feed rivers that are the lifeline of multiple communities. The reduction in water flow will lead to animal habitat destruction and a water crisis for various regions.
How do they get to these locations?
The common complaint with anything ‘green’ is that it’s only on the surface. Most Environmental conferences are attended by people flying in on their private jets. To change this narrative, the organisers acquired the St. Helena ship as the main transport for the sport.
The St. Helena was a supply ship between the island of St. Helena and Cape town. Over the course of 18 months, the ship underwent a complete transformation to make it the carrier for the sport. The engine was completely stripped and rebuilt for low sulphur fuel. The propellers were refurbished for less friction and better efficiency. It was designed for low speeds and to cruise on one engine, thus drastically lowering fuel consumption. The interiors were upscaled rather than being replaced, with low led lights, low water consumption units, and even a hydroponic garden to grow produce for the crew.
Everything that is needed for the race is on this ship. The cars are here, tools, special tents that will act as garages, TV and broadcast equipment, machines to turn plastic into trophies, lightweight containers to reduce weight load, and even the hydrogen cells used for charging the cars. Along with the mechanics who live on board, this ship acts as a floating paddock for the sport.
The key aspect of this ship is the Science Research laboratory which has replaced the pool. 14 scientists live on board, with a focus of understanding climate change at each location and ocean health along the way. They are integral in reducing the carbon footprint of this sport at every opportune moment.
Even though the ship still runs on Marine fuel, research and development is being undertaken to make this ship carbon free. It’s symbolised by the line ‘Not Electric…Yet’ which is pasted all over the side of the ship.
Why does a sport need a Science Committee?
To run an initiative that is trying to bring about change through science, you need the best minds at work. So, the sport brought together the leading experts on the Arctic, the Amazon, the Ocean, the Desert and on Climate change. They conduct an environmental assessment of each location, not only to prevent damage but to also understand what issues are already at play.
The Science Committee conducts research along the entire supply chain of the sport to identify places for improvement. At the moment this is just for Extreme E, but if this becomes a viable model it can be replicated by other sports and industries.
An important aspect of this committee is the Legacy Initiative. Alejandro wants to leave every location better than they found it, to leave behind a legacy for others to carry forward. The aim is to engage with local stakeholders to provide social and environmental support at each location, along with renewable energy solutions.
For example, the initiative plans on planting 1 million mangrove trees in Senegal over 60 hectares with the NGO Oceanium. The intention is also to educate the local communities on managing these mangrove forests and how they benefit from it.
In Saudi, along with the Ba’a Foundation, the sport intends on engaging with local communities to focus on turtle conservation along the Red Sea coast. Rising water levels are drowning out the nesting beaches for the endangered Green turtle and the critically endangered Hawksbill turtle.
The Car and the Tech
Beyond the messaging and the climate action, this is a sport run by machines. A beastly looking machine, the Extreme E Car goes 0 to 100 kmph in under 5 seconds at a 130% gradient. It is meant to race on the roughest of terrains with steep inclines. Powered by a 55kWh battery, this car can give you 630 bhp. The cars are the same for each team, but they are allowed to change the motor, the inverter and select parts of the exterior bodywork.
Every part of this car follows their ethos of working towards a carbon neutral future. The chassis is made of Niobium tubes, which is a superconductor and has the strength similar to titanium. Its lightweight structure allows for energy saving and is more sustainable than other materials used. The exterior shell is made from natural flax fibre which leads to a 75% reduction in the carbon footprint.
The tyres are specifically designed for the different extreme climates that these cars will race in. But the cool part is what’s in store for the future. The aim is to replace rubber tyres with those made from Dandelions. A particular Russian species of Dandelions have latex in their roots, which can be cultivated across the world. This will reduce the stress on the rainforests in the rubber belt near the equator and will be more sustainable.
Batteries will propel us into the future and its development is integral to this sport. Williams Engineering had to design a battery that could withstand extreme conditions of heat, ice, rain, and even sand. They built a high power, energy dense system that reduces the size and weight of the battery for more efficiency. It has a battery management system in a lightweight carbon fibre composite enclosure, which could be replicated for road cars as well. Along with Formula E, battery development is improving at an exponential speed.
Where do they get the electricity for each race?
AFC energy has devised an off-grid Hydrogen Energy system that fits into a container, pops onto the ship, and travels to each race location. This ingenious system is a 100% clean energy.
In the days leading up to the race, this Hydrogen fuel system is brought online. It uses a solar panel array to create hydrogen, which is stored in low pressure cylinders. On the day of the race, this hydrogen is used to generate clean electricity to charge all the race cars present and even stores a little extra. The by-product from this Hydrogen charger is only water, which is used at each race location.
This charging system is completely off the grid and leaves no waste behind. It takes 10 days to create 1 MW of energy and can charge the car battery in a matter of 1.5 hours. The potential for these systems is enormous. It can be used for EV infrastructure in remote locations, but can also be used at construction sites to create a portable energy supply structure.
Aiming for eco-friendly Materials
The sport takes this environmental pledge really serious. They have tied up with different companies that can help them get to their goals faster.
Polymateria is a company that creates bio-degradable plastic that can air degrade in 6 to 10 months. Every cup, food packaging, and even the masks used at these races are made from this material. All the materials will be collected for recycling, but this could be a game changer for the single use plastic employed at most sporting events.
The cleaning equipment uses low pressure washing systems, but also uses the water generated from the hydrogen fuel cells or the ship’s onboard water maker. It is also ensured that the products used are environmentally friendly.
The trophies are made from ocean plastic that is collected along the way. They have specialised machines on board which strip the plastic and reconvert it via 3D printers to make the trophies. They will also symbolise the issue of each race location. The surfaces will be of burnt wood for the Amazon race, of recycled plastic for the Senegal ocean race, and recycled glass for the Glacier race.
Every piece of equipment and technology that is used in this sport is either sustainable or working towards a sustainable future. This is one of the fascinating aspects of this sport that doesn’t make it seem hollow.
The teams have familiar faces
This sport has something different in its representation. Every team must have one male and one female driver. Racing is generally a male dominated sport, and this creates a level playing field.
There are multiple familiar names from the world of high-performance racing, who are involved in the sport. You have F1 staples like Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg, Jenson Button and Zak Brown as team owners. Jean Eric Verge from Formula E is another owner, along with ABT and Tcheetah Racing. You even have teams known in every American home, like Chip Gnassi and Andretti.
There are multiple World Rally champions, Dakar Rally Champions and various other rally racing champions who will drive for each of these teams.
Racing format
Well it is a sport, so I must touch upon the format of the race weekend. On the first day, there are 2 qualifying rounds based on time trials. This determines the order for the second day.
The second day of racing has 4 different races – 2 Semi-finals, one ‘Shootout’ and the Final. The top three teams from Qualifying go to the first Semi race, where the top 2 finishers go to the Final. The next three teams from Qualifying go to the second Semi race, where only the top finisher goes to the final. The last three teams have a ‘shootout’ race to see who gets how many points for the championship.
The Final race is just a straight-out competition to the end. Every session is 16 km long made up of 2 laps. The drivers switch with their teammate after one lap, so it’s a combined effort to the finish line. They also get a hyperdrive boost which can be used only once in each lap.
So why?
On the surface this seems less of a sport and more of a PSA for climate change. They sell the story of why they’re doing it, more than the sport, which can come across as a brilliant marketing strategy. But there is something about the level of involvement that cannot be denied. If it was greenwashing, you don’t need scientists and a floating laboratory. You don’t need to figure out sustainable materials management to reduce your carbon footprint. It actually comes across as a true belief system of highlighting the damage caused by Climate change, but through the lens of a sport. It’s entertainment with a message that I can get on board with.
It also leads you to question other racing sports that exist around the world. As we move towards green energy and electric vehicles, sports like Nascar, Formula 1, Indycar will go out of relevance. Maybe they shift to biofuel powered cars. Or even Hydrogen powered cars. But we as a society are tending towards Electric Vehicles, so will the use of any type of fuel seem antiquated? With so many Formula 1 names in this sport as well, the question arises as to where the other sports will end up.
Extreme E is a bit heavy handed on the messaging and even has documentaries that will be released. But the racing by itself is pretty exciting, so the messaging should bring a steady stream of fans. The efforts being made with different organisations on the ground seems like it could set the tone for other sports to become more socially conscious as well. Whether this will actually have an effect, we can only wait and watch.
Wild!!! I'm impressed by the labor of love and care put into this event.