Japan's first "electric car F1" races through the city

Formula E was held in Japan for the first time in March of this year. This is a race with the initial letter "E", which stands for electricity, and uses batteries as its power source. The location is the waterfront area of ​​Tokyo. The course will be set up by closing off the grounds of Tokyo Big Sight, a well-known event venue, and the public roads around it.

As it was the first time in Japan, the lineup on the day was spectacular. Celebrities and artists were in attendance, as well as Prime Minister Kishida and Tokyo Governor Koike. This is probably because the event will be held with public roads closed, and will require the full cooperation of the national government, metropolitan government, and public institutions. Since it attracts world-class events, it seems likely that it will also have an economic effect. In fact, it has already been decided that it will be held next year in 2025.

I think what makes Formula E unique is that, apart from its power source, it was originally born as a race held on public roads in cities. F1 also has events held in cities like the Monaco Grand Prix, but the default event here is in the city. Targeting cities around the world. Therefore, it seems that the competition to attract companies is taking place in various areas. One or two circuits are used each year, so it feels exactly the opposite of F1.

There are many reasons to do it in the city. Rather than driving on a circuit, you can collect data that is useful for the development of electric vehicles, and you can freely control the length of each lap. Formula E cars take a long time to charge, so they have to compete on a single charge. Therefore, the length of one lap is shorter than that of a normal circuit, increasing the number of laps, making it more enjoyable to watch. The distance to Tokyo this time was approximately 2.5km.

On the other hand, the company touts the lack of noise and exhaust gas as a reason why it can be driven around town. If you could hear the engine noise of multiple gasoline-powered racing cars running at the same time for more than an hour, there would probably be a storm of complaints from neighbors in the city, and there would also likely be reports of the smell of gasoline or exhaust gas. However, Formula E has successfully cleared this.

Furthermore, doing it in the city has the advantage of attracting more people's attention. If races were held in everyday areas without having to travel hours from the city center to a circuit in the middle of nowhere, it would be easier for not only fans but also people who aren't particularly interested in racing to come. If so, it will be a good opportunity to widely promote electric vehicles. This may be especially true for European manufacturers who participate as works cars.

Expectations for new possibilities and an attractive new generation of racing

Looking back at the history of Formula E, the memorable first event was held in 2014. The location is Olympic Park in Beijing, China. This year is exactly the 10th season since then, and compared to the beginning, the power of the machine has increased and the distance traveled on a single charge has increased considerably. That's why it was decided that an impressive race would be held. This race itself is a driving force behind the evolution of EVs. By the way, it seems that this all started in Paris in 2011. The draft was reportedly discussed during a dinner between Formula E founder Alejandro Agag and former FIA president Jean Todt. Indeed, it is a stylish anecdote that will be passed down for years to come.

So, what kind of racing teams are participating? Jaguar TCS Racing, Maserati MSG Racing, Nissan Formula E Team, TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team, DS Penske, etc. This year, a total of 11 teams are competing. The team I support is Jaguar TCS Racing. The focus is on the Jaguar brand and the racing driver Nick Cassidy. I don't think many people know this, but Jaguar is a racey brand that won the 1950 Hours of Le Mans in the 24s, and legendary cars such as the Jaguar D-type and E-type were born from there. In short, it's a cool brand.

If I were to talk about this on a team-by-team basis, it would be endless, so I'll stop here, but we've progressed further since Round 5 in Tokyo, and the tournament in Italy has come to an end. Therefore, it is necessary to keep up with the latest information. After that, Monaco, Germany, China, America, and UK will follow. If you are interested in Formula E at this Tokyo event, please update your information online. F1 is good, but this new generation of racing isn't bad either!

Photo by JAGUAR

Tatsuya Kushima

Motor journalist and columnist. Currently, he is the media site editor-in-chief and media business producer for the surfing magazine "NALU." She has previously served as editor-in-chief of many men's magazines, golf magazines, car magazines, airline in-flight magazines, etc. In addition to media activities, he is a member of the Japan Car of the Year selection committee, a member of the Japan Cigar Association, a Japan Boat of the Year selection committee, and the creative director of men's golf wear ``The Duke's Golf.''