A sport where turbocharged engines are pushed to the limit around the tarmac for an hour and a half does not scream eco-friendly from the get-go. So, in an era of climate consciousness, is the Greenpeace cousin of Formula 1 (F1) really a viable alternative?

Formula E (FE) is the world’s first all-electric international single-seater championship. If you go to the official FE website, you’re sure to see them boast that it is the first global sport with a net zero carbon footprint — a title they have held proudly since 2020. 

But, how do they achieve this exactly? 

According to its website, FE invests in projects aligned with the United Nations sustainability goals, such as wind power energy generation projects across the globe. Although these initiatives may seem noble and like a step in the right direction, they beg the question of how much of it is ‘greenwashing’ and how much is valid.

Formula E’s carbon footprint 

An interesting statistic about FE is that out of the 24,800 tonnes of carbon dioxide produced in its most recent season, only one per cent of the emissions came from cars, and 73 per cent came from freight transport. This ratio is not unique to FE, as F1 also presents similar statistics: in its 2022 season, the actual racing only produced 0.7 per cent of its total emissions. The rest comes from spectator travel, powering F1 race tracks — especially in dark conditions, freight transport, car production and repair, as well as track maintenance.

Compare that with a sport like the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), which ditches clever compact hybrid engines for V8 engines, and their carbon emissions come at 1.8 million kilograms for all the races. Though the NASCAR season is longer than both that of F1 and FE and allow refuelling during races, NASCAR requires less freight or air travel as the entire season is set domestically in the US. 

If FE and F1 really want to reduce their carbon footprint, reducing their global travel by making it geographically linear can help. It makes more sense to start their races in the US and then move to Europe and Asia instead of jumping between continents throughout the season.

EV batteries

In the defence of F1, the technology often used in the sport trickles down to our everyday road cars, making them more safer and fuel-efficient. For example, the hybrid power units and turbochargers now common in everyday cars were refined and tested in F1 over the years. 

This is where things get tricky for FE. Regarding FE’s electric vehicle (EV) batteries, former four-time F1 Drivers’ Champion Sebastian Vettel said that, “The battery technology that is being developed has nothing to do with the technology that a normal car could use.” 

Batteries also aren’t easily repurposed: while internal combustion engines are made of metals such as aluminum and cast iron, batteries consist of highly reactive lithium. During the end-of-life phase of batteries — a point at which EV batteries fall below 70–80 per cent of their rated value — it becomes difficult to have any use for them. Most countries also do not have a proper recycling system for the batteries. 

Mark Winfield, a professor of Environmental and Urban Change and co-chair of the department’s Sustainable Energy Initiative at York University, stated that the fact there is no public policy on the disposal of EV batteries is concerning because a number of the chemicals and components used to make EV batteries, such as cadmium, arsenic and nickel, are listed as toxic under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act and simply can’t be thrown into a landfill.

The future of Formula E

The final big issue FE faces in its challenge to keep things ‘green’ is that they cannot race on most established circuits — yet. Battery technology is not powerful enough for larger and longer races, and to gain popularity, most FE races take place in intercity circuits — meaning they shut down public roads to have a race. Notably, in the 2015–16 FE season, a race hosted in London ended up damaging parts of heritage-protected Battersea Park and FE was required to pay a fine of 1 million British pound sterling.

So, what is the conclusion? 

In short, the technology in FE is simply not established enough. In its current state, FE acts more like a greenwash to show that motorsport is moving away from fossil fuels. Instead of having investment in various projects around the world and spreading the organization thin, perhaps FE should invest in more projects which aim to fix its current issues.