Electric vehicle (EV) races are gaining more and more spectators worldwide. Formula E and Extreme E are two prominent examples.
Moreover, to promote the role of women and the development of electromobility, Natur’elles Aventures announced that this year will see the first exclusive electric rally for women.
Another interesting fact is that the team that secured victory in the Dakar Rally did so with an EV.
Below, Mobility Portal Europe presents the details of competitions with zero and low-emission vehicles.
Extreme E
It is a series of off-road races held in remote locations around the world, which have been affected by climate change.
The ultimate goal of the competition is to unveil global issues and inspire the next generation to further progress in the electric mobility sector.
The competition has a limit of ten teams, each composed of one male and one female driver.
It consists of ten races, held in five locations on different continents each year.
It is noteworthy that the organization transports all vehicles, infrastructure, and operational teams aboard its own 7,000-ton ship.
The ship is low-emission, representing a 75 percent reduction in emissions compared to air transport.
This translates to a reduction of 5,200 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the process.
Formula-e
Since 2014, Formula-e has stood out as one of the most relevant competitions in this division, organized by the International Automobile Federation (FIA).
The current season of the only electric world championship began on January 13 in Mexico City.
Recently, on January 26, a race took place in the Arab city of Diriyah.
It is worth noting that this edition is the tenth, and a total of 11 teams are participating, each composed of two members.
First electric rally for women
Recently, the first organization of an electric rally exclusively for women confirmed its edition for the year 2024 with the starting point from the village of Versailles on June 1.
The challenge proposed by Natur’elles Aventures lasts for a week, and the circuit covers Annecy, Savoie, Haute-Savoie, and Evian les Bains, where it concludes on June 8.
The fourth edition of the association is an orientation challenge in which female pairs will participate, covering a distance of 800 kilometers using electric vehicles through French landscapes.
The event also includes a daytime walking stage of between ten and 20 kilometers, as well as surprise sports activities.
It is worth noting that there is a maximum limit of 20 participating groups, and the registration fee is 8,390 euros per pair.
Electrified vehicle wins first prize in the Dakar rally
In recent days, an electrified vehicle triumphed over an internal combustion car in the Dakar Rally, a legendary race held in remote and unconventional terrains.
Spanish driver Carlos Sainz and his co-driver Lucas Cruz secured Audi’s first victory in this competition, and it was with electrified power.
The Audi RS Q e-tron, introduced in 2021, won by a significant margin against the Toyota Hilux GR DKR T1+ of Guillaume De Mevius and Xavier Panzeri, as well as the Hunter Prodrive of Sebastien Loeb and Fabien Lurquin, both internal combustion vehicles.
This electrified model utilizes advanced motors from Audi’s previous Formula E race cars.
However, it is worth noting that due to the length of the circuits in this type of race, the winning version in the competition was a hybrid to avoid malfunctions.
How was the first race with an electric vehicle?
The first participation of an electric car in a competition took place on June 11, 1895.
On that date, the first International Grand Prix was held in Paris, France.
There, the electric vehicle driven by the Broulter and Zantold team made its appearance, which began building the vehicle three months before the competition.
Although it could not complete the race, it laid the foundation to demonstrate to the world the reliability of electrically powered cars.
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