The Electric Formula 1, Explained

The fight for the future of car racing has begun...
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You already know about Formula 1. The car racing sport is famous around the world and is skyrocketing in popularity in the US in part because of the Netflix series Drive To Survive. But Formula 1 has a problem.
More and more the cars that we drive are going fully electric, and the cars that they drive… aren’t. That matters, because the real reason F1 gets all this money and attention is that big companies are investing in and advertising their cutting edge tech. If that tech gets outdated, it loses the point - and the extra investment. What is the future of car racing? If it’s electric, does F1 change? Or is someone else going to get there first?
Enter Formula E, the all-electric Formula 1.
In this video, we explore the future of car racing, explain Formula E’s amazing tech and wild rules, and break down the drama within one of the world’s most popular and expensive sports.
Chapters:
00:00 Will Formula 1 go electric?
1:27 What is Formula E?
2:13 How did Formula E start?
3:01 Why isn't F1 electric?
4:45 Thank you Athletic Greens!
5:30 What are the rules of Formula E?
7:52 What does a Formula E car look like?
9:18 Are F1 cars hybrid?
10:13 Formula E Gen 3: What's new?
11:30 Why don't Formula E cars have rear brakes?
13:36 What is the future of car racing?
Be featured in an episode - upload questions for me to answer! www.dropbox.com/request/Edocs...
You can find me on TikTok here for short, fun tech explainers: / cleoabram
You can find me on Instagram here for more personal stories: / cleoabram
You can find me on Twitter here for thoughts, threads and curated news: / cleoabram
Bio:
Cleo Abram is an Emmy-nominated independent video journalist. On her show, Huge If True, Cleo explores complex technology topics with rigor and optimism, helping her audience understand the world around them and see positive futures they can help build. Before going independent, Cleo was a video producer for Vox. She wrote and directed the Coding and Diamonds episodes of Vox’s Netflix show, Explained. She produced videos for Vox’s popular KZbin channel, was the host and senior producer of Vox’s first ever daily show, Answered, and was co-host and producer of Vox’s KZbin Originals show, Glad You Asked.
Additional reading and watching:
- The FIA explaining Formula E: www.fiaformulae.com/en/what-i...
- My absolute favorite newsletter on F1, Engine Failure by Lily Herman: bit.ly/EngineFailureF1
- “An introduction to Formula E” by Chain Bear: • An introduction to For...
- “F1 Drivers Explain F1,” from F1 • F1 Drivers Explain F1
- “How a Formula 1 Race Car Works” by Animagraffs • How a Formula 1 Race C...
- “The Insane Logistics of F1,” by Wendover Productions • The Insane Logistics o...
- “Top 5 reasons you should watch Formula E” by Donut Media: • TOP 5 Reasons You Shou...
- “How to Make F1 Sounds,” by Matt Chambers :) • How to make F1 Sounds
Vox: www.vox.com/authors/cleo-abram
IMDb: www.imdb.com/name/nm10108242/
Gear I use:
Camera: Sony A7SIII
Lens: Sony 16-35 mm F2.8 GM
Audio: Sennheiser SK AVX and Zoom H4N Pro
Music: Musicbed
Follow along for more episodes of Huge If True: kzbin.info?sub...
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Welcome to the joke down low:
What kind of cars do dogs hate?
CorVETS.
Find a way to use the word “dog” in a comment to let me know you’re a real one ;)

[@oli74111]

I don't enjoy the "fan boost" concept simply because it puts emphasis on popularity, rather than raw driver/team skills. Other than that however, it is a promissing series and I can't wait to see where it goes!

[@alotheone]

Fan boost is no longer in FE.

[@diethersantos6404]

Here after removing fanboost and it's so DAMN GOOD 😍

[@thebeezkneez7559]

I think they shouldn't just remove it but replace it with something that doesn't rely on popularity like maybe some sort of random boost or something.

[@Leanzazzy]

I think that's the point: it adds an element of unpredictability and chaos.

[@rocket3646]

I agree I don’t think it really has a place but it was smart marketing in its formative years by engaging the spectators

[@ArmorLightning]

Great video! I like how you focus not only on the sport itself, but more on the technology and its impact on the "commercial" car market. I'd like to emphasize on the topic of regenerative braking (RB): Yes, Gen 3 is pushing the benchmark even further, but F1 did the babysteps for it, by implementing KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System). Meaning: It is not totally new, but yes Formula E does bring it to the next level. Now, whats really interesting, is how RB is already the standard for commercial cars: PEVs, PHEV and Mild HEVs are totally making use of this, which has many benefits. One very crucial benefit (beside recharging your battery of course) is the reduced usage of friction brakes. Modern PEVs are able to brake more than 80% of all brake events via the electric motor and therefore abstaining from friction brakes. Which brings the crucial benefit: EVs emit WAY less brake particles than ICEs. Which is huge, since the current regulation draft for brake emission particles may makes it impossible for ICEs to reach the threshold values. So, car OEMs need to electrify their cars or use expensive brake pads which wear less, so their cars meet the regulations demands. In other words: ICEs are getting less and less attractive for OEMs, even through back doors like brake emissions.

[@NeilCC125]

Thanks for this comment. I was confused when she made it sound like regenerative braking was completely new or something.

[@Jehty21]

So then what exactly is the new exciting technology regarding RB this video is talking about? One-pedal-driving is already possible with many EVs. Sure, taking racing lines is a bit different than normal driving, but what exactly is the big deal that this video talks about?

[@ArmorLightning]

@@Jehty21 The overall abstinence of rear wheel brakes. The only friction brakes are in the front. Basically it is not a new technology, it's just that for Gen 3, they improved RB in such a way, that they won't use rear wheel friction brakes and only rely on RB.

[@Jehty21]

@@ArmorLightning still doesn't explain why this video hyped it up that much? Is it just ignorance of the video presenter?

[@ArmorLightning]

@@Jehty21 It shows how far RB has come and how Formula E is pushing the technological benchmark, which can find its ways to the commercial car market. With the prospect of maybe completely abstaining from friction brakes for commercial cars one day.

[@the1stmetalhead]

The action for the championship is also a lot closer in Formula E compared to Formula 1. In Formula 1 a few teams like Mercedes and Red Bull are the only ones dominating. Also love the effort that you are putting into creating the content. The quality is out of this world.

[@finewine1001]

ferrari has left the chat

[@StayClosedDelorean]

The unpredictability of FE is why sometimes I prefer it over F1. Even a relatively boring E-prix is entertaining to watch. There's always chaos, on-track battles all over the field, level-playing teams and drivers with varying degrees of performance every other race. It's just more fun to sink into on a consistent basis. F1, while obviously a far better established series, can often feel like a very redundant chore to sit through. With all its recurrent DRS-train races where literally nothing happens, hardlined hierarchies between teams that kill almost any actual competition, and the long-running domination periods that no one likes.

[@officialRandall]

Because F1 is an engineering competition, it's more like about the car itself and how the engineers can find and play the holes in the rules. While other championships focuses more on driver's skills, F1 is like space research on land. The drivers have only PR purposes, the only opponent they have to defeat is their teammates. But the real championship is in the garages and offices.

[@alfredogedengbe2591]

Factors like Shorter tracks and straights coupled with the fact you don't get any turbulent air from the combustion engines and the chassis are all the same cause leads to closer racing

[@dannyboy-vtc5741]

Fe is a spec series, like any other spec single seaters, just these are electric, f1 are prototypes, that's just the opposite end of the racing universe, apples and oranges here.

[@bladeship]

I'm a huge* fan of both F1 and FE and I'm so glad that you made this episode to balance out your previous video. I've watched every FE race since season one and when around other spectators (usually in the online space, not in person) I continually witness so much hate and complaining about FE instead of focusing on the all the cool tech, advancements, and entertaining racing. You've done a fantastic job role modeling for current F1 fans that it is possible to be an enthusiastic fan about both sports at the same time!

[@anydaynow01]

Both have their merits, I did enjoy watching FE when they were broadcasting on YT, hopefully they will be on the FIA sight with F1/2/3/A. With the EV transition, and new ICE sports cars being tuned to run on synth fuels there is plenty of relevancy for both series for the future.

[@ropro9817]

I _LOVE_ Cleo's enthusiasm about everything. It makes me want to learn! ❤

[@KrolKaz]

Same, I wish she made onlyfans tho 😭

[@Fatcatmatt]

@@KrolKaz bro 💀

[@AngusMokPhoto]

​@@KrolKaz dude no

[@blacksonic2094]

@@KrolKaz wtf is wrong with u

[@Leanzazzy]

​@@KrolKazThere are deepfakes 😂

[@andytran1412]

If you want to do more about this thing, there is a series called Extreme E for you, it is rally racing but electric. It would be a topic for another video too. A comparison between WRC (Old series like F1, but with a hybrid powertrain now) and Extreme E (New series, with fully electric and zero-emission).

[@Alex-yt8gn]

Extreme E was even founded by the same guy that founded Formula E

[@jakesweet1000]

extreme e is stupid

[@andytran1412]

@@jakesweet1000 ? why? at least it's carbon neutral

[@x340x]

@@andytran1412 all this carbon neutral bullshit is why we cant have nice things. soon the cars wont even make a sound and the soul of automotive will be lost forever. let me know when China stops pumping shit from the factories into the ocean and then you can have my v12

[@Aniket2712]

F1 old? ... you know F1 will use E-Fuel that can just go in any ICE car, as eco friendly as FE without mining

[@louiskar]

For anyone wondering the Formula E season already started, and the next race is tomorrow (27th of January).

[@mattgills1648]

No one is wondering cause no one cares about formula e lol

[@louiskar]

@@mattgills1648 ❤️

[@emerickfekete6792]

@@mattgills1648 who hurt you ?

[@mattjones9269]

Formula E has the potential! It's just as techy as F1 and the translation of tech to the public is exciting. It just needs time to figure itself out! I would also like to see these cars race around purpose built circuits like silverstone and spa.. city circuits isn't always the most exciting (but certainly can be sometimes).

[@shvkpr1]

bro it’s been out for like 8-9 years. It’s finally figuring itself out but idk

[@mattjones9269]

@@shvkpr1 That's really not that long considering its going up against a sport like F1 which has been around officially for over 70 years, with similar grand prix events going even further back. Of course it's going to still have problems less than a decade in...

[@licencetoswill]

yeah, agreed. now it's starting to mature with the new cars it'd be awesome to see them on real racetracks. The city circuits feel a bit like go-cart races

[@andreabortolotto2761]

They can’t race in circuit like f1 because the battery doesn’t have the time to richarge

[@timmynicolas8729]

There would be no point having them on normal tracks . Might as well just watch GT racing since they handle similarly . The whole point of FE is to have energy regen and it doens't work on tracks with long straights and few corners and even if it did work then it would just not be exciting since it's still slower than most other series and doens't make engine noise . That's why FE need to race on those street tracks and why they need to be different otherwise it loses the entire point and identity

[@ukaszjakubowski2751]

Great episode as always, I love how well-crafted your episodes are, stark difference from "standard" youtube videos quality!

[@sherlockmaverick]

Great video! That said, I'd call it an electric Indycar. It's still a spec series. I do wish it wasn't, though. I'd love to see it become an open development electric racing series like Formula 1.

[@fabiankunzle1952]

It's not an entirely spec series. The drivetrain is developed by the team.

[@davidclavijo2]

I completely agree with you! I do think they want to roll this out slowly to keep costs controlled, and also assure that the fight stays competitive. I remember seeing an interview with Alejandro Agag some years ago, stating that their vision is to have fully independently developed vehicles in the future, but that it was gonna take some years!

[@juanpilosino]

First of all... so so so so sorry for spoiling your "guess where I am" instagram post from few weeks ago! LOL... this episode is amazing. While I was watching it i thought... "oh she didnt mention... nvm... she just did"... I had like four of them and u explained it all very well and simple as you could. I trully love your "fascination face" as you were a little kid in candy store. That is what happens to me everytime. I've been at Buenos Aires ePrix as a photographer 3 times in a row for the very first 3 seasons of Formula E and this league is just amazing. It has an incredible exponential growth. The sky is the limit. The only thing u didnt mention were the tyres. They use one kind only tyre for both wet/dry condition. Everything else... "chef kiss!" Congrats! I can't wait for more.

[@racevoltGamerthemecedesguy]

Watch ted vdieo on conditioning of battry power vehical

[@alfamaize]

Cleo- you should make sure of the ban of gas engine rules coming up. Last I saw them (which was just before I retired), EV meant BEV, HEV, MHEV, PHEV, etc. So anything that has an electric motor to help make up the energy fits the rules. And that means the current F1 rules meet that standard. California limits it to PHEVs, but that still has a gas motor in it. This isn't really a ban on gas engines, but a requirement for electrification to harvest some of the waste energy.

[@megafrodo100]

In the EU ban biofueled gas engines ar eexcluded. So that won't affect F1 anyway.

[@mateuszzimon8216]

Most Eastern UE countries have coal power as main electric source. This doesn't change pretty soon, that's zero CO2 in 2050 is dreams...

[@luislongoria6621]

​@@mateuszzimon8216Without using nuclear power in the equation, it's all a bit of a whitewash since renewables only work during the day but at least there's less air pollution in congested cities

[@mateuszzimon8216]

@@luislongoria6621 I just think we fup nuclear power, because we age in 3-4gen of reactors but we still need uranium. 5+gen should be powered by spent rods from 2-3 gen

[@jericoba]

Of course they would do that... Half-completing the task...

[@s0berlin]

Gen 3 is super exciting, so much power that now the teams and drivers are finally closer to the limits of grip and evolving the setups more like F1. Unfortunately formula E hasn’t been helping itself with its broadcast availability. That and the instability in the race time, formula 1 seems to have that figured out.

[@PrograError]

Well at least we know it's a 1 hr+ 1Lap race (or that changed? Hard to get news on it since they (FE) stopped streaming on YT with the local broadcaster "licencee"

[@racevoltGamerthemecedesguy]

Only including taile pipe emtion is stupid because ev emit but at your country it do in difrent country

[@jerry-ic8id]

I respect Formula E but for some reason I can't watch Formula E... I tried hard man 😓😓

[@singular9]

It feels like watching video game F1. Boring AF. The engineering isn't there (because they use the same parts) and there is no sound, and there isn't the speed, tracks, intensity, etc. There's no history either and the driveability of each car is so close you don't have the teams coming up with drastically different designs.

[@fattahrambe]

Have you watched season 9 yet?

[@David-td8dq]

Her calling formula E “the younger cooler sibling” couldn’t be further from the truth what most people think of f1 vs fe

[@lonestarr1490]

@@singular9 Personally, I also dislike the city track concept. In Formula 1, for me the most boring Grand Prix has always been Monaco, because the track is so narrow and thus hardly any overtaking is happening.

[@lewis8552]

@Daniel G Formula E is more of a driver series than a flat out engineering series like F1 is. Not to say it isn't also an engineering series as teams have to develop their own drivetrain which is critical in getting performance from the battery. Chassis and Battery are spec though as it would be too expensive for teams to run in the series and not sustainable in the slightest. It's why more and more motorsport series are becoming spec as running costs get too high and none have the capital like F1 does.

[@ralffe3465]

This is a great video. I'm a huge Formula One fan, been watching since I was 3, and a big supporter of Formula E since 2017 and a lot of people don't really understand Formula E before criticising it but this video really sums up Formula E in a simple and easy to understand form and I hope it will help people get into or the very least understand more about Formula E

[@stevencrawford6503]

F1 video two, electric boogaloo

[@mattgills1648]

If everything is going electric and F1 doesn't then F1 will become even bigger!

[@BlackjackJoe101]

Love your motorsports content. Since you took this much interest in Formula E, please consider covering Extreme E as well!

[@icyhot8474]

Omg this is the first video I watch in so long that DOESN’T have a sponsorship spot. Thank you!

[@Nitro15]

This video is a year old. All her new videos have sponsorships...

[@icyhot8474]

@@Nitro15 dammmm GG

[@j.d.cunegan302]

I stumbled upon Formula E on TV a few years ago, and once I got over the initial oddity of not hearing the roar (or whine) of the engine that I so clearly associate with racing, I discovered it was... an auto race. Like any other. Which meant I was hooked. And I'm glad to hear you make the point that auto racing has to keep up with passenger cars, technology-wise, because there's so much ANGST in the NASCAR world over the mere *thought* of engine electrification, and I'm just like... the OEMs are going there anyway, so at some point, the sport they pour millions into is going to have to reflect that somehow.

[@rahul9000]

Your videos are so amazing! Being a fan of both F1 and Formula E, this was so exciting to watch!

[@a_dreamer8612]

My main issue with formula e is the circuits. I'm really not a fan of street circuits, sure they are challenging for the drivers but overtaking, and side by side battles through corners are basically impossible

[@DjDolHaus86]

The issue beyond that is the cars aren't really fast enough to make for exciting racing on purpose built circuits

[@anydaynow01]

Formula E cars are pretty much bumper cars though, so they all pile into a corner and are very aggressive in fighting through, behavior that would get race bans in F1. Not that there is anything wrong with it the chassis are designed to take the abuse and they aren't really going fast enough to cause substantial driver injury anyway. If anything it's an interesting aspect to the sport.

[@luislongoria6621]

​@@DjDolHaus86Have they really increased the battery capacity or just limited the performance of the cars? A Bugatti Veyron runs for 18 minutes on full boost, comparable to a 1st generation EV. I'd expect the Rimac Nevera to have a similar range anxiety

[@benjaminnead8557]

I appreciate the clear explanation here of the history on how Formula 1 and Formula E compliment yet compete with each other. This is a very good explainer, Cleo. As an EV driver, I honestly haven't had much interest in F1 for quite awhile. Anything that runs on gasoline feels like yesterday's news. But I've been casually following this all-electric FAI racing category since the first season, when the drivers had to switch cars mid race. I need to get back to watching the races more regularly again. Interesting to hear that the new Gen 3 cars have no physical brakes in the rear and does all the stopping back there with just regen. We've had regenerative braking on our street EVs for years now, of course, but not to the degree that they've been able discard that much physical hardware. The next time I step into an auto supply store and make note that I no longer need most of the lubricants and filters, I can add brake pads and fluid to that list pretty soon.

[@sophiaemily1819]

just discovered this channel from your newest f1 video, i love how well you explain things in a way that its understandable for a newcomer but still super interesting for someone who is already invested, defo an easy sub

[@camiloguzman1801]

This channel never dissapoints, Cleo You and your team make such a good entretaining material. Speachless.

[@MrLockie7]

I just loved how Formula E gave a bit more of a platform to so many WEC drivers.

[@osrn2]

This is a good video and having recently discovered your channel, I really like how enthusiastic you are about Formula e, as well as Formula 1. Excited to see what you got coming next.

[@DucatiKozak]

Great vlog Cleo! & great to see you are such a motorsports fan! As both a real & armchair 2&4 wheel motorsports dude, F1 was & is still is the epitome, but Formula-e a very interesting series. My dislike of the series are that those videogame based boosts turn the sport into a game. I'm glad they're finally dropping at least one of them. Thanks for showing your enthusiasm and making sure I watch this season!

[@SCPlntrCll096]

Guess the Attack Mode is fine, but the fanboost (which is gone now, thankfully) is really useless

[@ZyahCatDragonCat]

I love this. I love FE and have watched since season 1. The first race this year was pretty good and I cant wait to see how far this goes as an EV head. Im really looking forward to the advances in technology through this series and have benefited already from some of it with my car. FE is the future of racing. And its the most entertaining, close racing youll see. The teams are more balanced, (more like Indy than F1) and I think the drivers are clearly top tier. Love to see this series continue to grow!

[@TinyBearTim]

It’s a spec series bro that’s why it’s close It’s not the future f1 will use synthetic fuels and so will most road cars

[@aarizaaban6082]

​@@TinyBearTim Let people enjoy things.

[@TinyBearTim]

@@aarizaaban6082 they can enjoy it if they want don’t change the fact it’s shit rn

[@aarizaaban6082]

​@@TinyBearTim It might not be perfect but it's definitely not shit.

[@TinyBearTim]

@@aarizaaban6082 you must be blind then

[@abhinavpattipati]

love your videos!! they're super interesting and extremely entertaining and educational thank you so much!

[@sbjrcourses7961]

I simply cannot believe how great the quality is of these videos... Phenomenal host, insanely great editing and excellent, compelling writing... So glad I found this channel...

[@RockX_Chris]

Last summer i went to my 1st Formula E event, in Brooklyn NY, and I thought it was so exciting! Can’t wait to see where both F1 & FE go in the coming years!

[@Johnmike247]

Thank you so much for the information ❤️ Keep uploading more content about racing sports 🤗.

[@ecoideazventures6417]

Proud to see Indian brands like Mahindra and Tata in this global arena! But where the hell is Tesla? Can anyone update on its participation in Formula E?

[@Nitro15]

It's not worth it for Tesla. This sport is a billion dollar sport and it's more of a invite only event unless you buy another team which they won't allow

[@lucaskane5364]

As an F1 fan, I value Formula e in that it is pushing F1 to be road relevant in ways that it wouldn't have if there wasn't an electric exclusive championship. Now F1 is pushing fossil fuel companies to create new drop-in fuels for combustion engines that will eventually drastically cut emissions in their production and use, which will be great for all the older ICE cars that will still be on the road from 2035 onwards. So whereas Formula E is a competition that pushes Electrical Engineering, F1 is quickly pushing Chemical Engineering in new and exciting ways. And manufacturers are signing on to that as well! Tldr: you should do a video on the F1 2026 regulations and how F1 engines are already being redesigned to run higher percentages of synthetic and biofuels every year!

[@MarkoVukovic0]

I would love to see a follow-up on this, super interesting. This formula came to my home city recently, Cape Town. It was a street circuit, which was awesome. The tickets were pretty expensive, comparable to F1. The other challenge was electricity. Here, in South Africa, we experience "load shedding", where utility power is deliberately cut off for between 2-4h at different times during the day. Long story short, they got around this by using 28 bio-diesel generators to supply the 2MW power demand. So, at the end of the day, they still had to burn fuel of some sort.

[@laletemanolete]

F E seems to be a love it or hate it. I love it.

[@ayushmat316]

OMG! Thank you for making this video! I've been tirelessly trying to promote Formula E, but damn you Drive to Survive! Now I have a new power in my arsenal, cleopower! 😝

[@ANAKCreates]

Love this! Awesome episode about something I knew almost nothing about, but now I wanna go watch a race!! Your enthusiasm for everything you talk about is infections :)

[@rubyfruit]

love the effort and excitement going into your videos, keep going!

[@kylecramer8489]

I love Formula E. The only problem is watching a race from the US is.... not easy

[@dcpantou]

I just heard of this 25 years exclusive license from you, thank you. I always thought that eventually FE will be absorbed by F1 because its only a matter of time that the pinnacle of motorsports is electric powered. Now I can see a timeline when is that going to happened.

[@PrograError]

I doubt... F1 will be F1 and vice versa for FE. They can always go into alternate fuels and so on... We'd need vehicles on Mars and the like. And sustainable fuel on those places like hydrogen would be helpful where solar is not really that much of a useful thing for "quick boost "

[@mk_annan22]

Finally, Cleo covered Formula E, the topic we've been longing to be covered. Formula E is not just any motorsport, it's a testing bed for public mobility in our everyday streets.

[@RonaanRoy]

Well, I'll be doggone. I've been part of the team that has done the marketing for Formula E for years, and now one of MY FAVVVOURITE KZbinR's Cleo interviews Lucas in a video. It's come a looong way. Come to Hyderabad and watch the race!

[@FranFyrhart]

I really need a video on those rear brakes, I still can't wrap my head around how that would work. Maybe the magnets forcing the motor to go in the opposite direction and generating power in the process is how it works, but that's entirely based off of my extremely basic understanding of electric motors. Edit: I'm quite familiar with regenerative braking, I'm just interested in what tech they're using that would allow them to completely ditch the rear brakes. Probably should have worded the question a little better

[@PK1312]

So, there's a couple different types of electric motor, AC and DC motors, for one, and for AC motors (which all electric cars have) you can have synchronous and asynchronous motors. The difference between them is that in a synchronous motor, the rotation of the rotor lines up with the magnetic fields on the stator poles 1:1- think of the motor as "snapping" to the next position it can take on the motor, but it switches so fast that it never comes to a stop. Most electric cars use asynchronous AC motors, though. In these motors- also called induction motors- the stator magnetic field rotational speed doesn't match the rotational speed of the rotor. Instead, the stator field is always ahead, and the rotor is always "chasing" it to catch up. When you use regenerative brakes, you essentially are just cutting the power to the electromagnets. Now, instead of being ahead of the rotor, the magnetic field on the stator is always *lagging behind*- this converts the rotational energy of the wheels into electrical current in the stator, charging the battery, and producing drag in the process, thus slowing the car down. This is why you'll sometimes hear the term "motor-generator" used- because an induction motor and an electric generator and basically the exact same device, with the only real difference being where the supplied power is coming from.

[@FranFyrhart]

@@PK1312 So basically, the magnetic field is pulling on the rotor causing it to slow down while making power?

[@GetLowRacingOfficial]

Look up regenerative braking, it's not new or special, every electric car on the road uses it. These racecars are amazing, but that's the least interesting feature. They only use it on the rear because they have rear wheel drive (road cars also have FWD or AWD). You're basically using the electric motor as a generator - feed it power and it will spin the wheels, spin the wheels by force and braking them with the motor will produce power back. They're able to chuck the mechanical brake because they have more powerful and better cooled motors now that can handle the load. F1 is brake-by-wire anyway in the rear, so it's only natural for F-e to go that one step further when the motors could handle it. In road racing more braking is done by the front anyway.

[@09juliancarr]

In F1 they have been using MUCH smaller rear brakes since the introduction of Hybrid V6 engines in 2014. It really hurt them when the MGU-K (Motor Generator Unit - Kenetic) failed and they lost a large proportion of rear braking capacity. A road car, because of its higher centre of mass can need up to 80% braking capacity on the front, whereas a race car is closer to 50/50 brake force front / rear. The limitation with these systems is that the battery can absorb the energy (power) being ‘pushed’ into it at the rate of retardation.

[@FranFyrhart]

@@GetLowRacingOfficial I'm quite familiar with regenerative braking, I've just never heard of the technology used to replace the rear brakes entirely, so I was assuming there's something special about the tech they're using here.

[@loganbward]

Time and time again it looks like if you don't adapt, you get left. Great video Cleo. You continue to be an inspiration for me!

[@megafrodo100]

F1 is adapting and will go biofuel and carbon neutral by 2027. Biofuel cars are also excluded in the EU ban she mentioned.

[@KrolKaz]

Carbon neutral? You do know they fly these cars across the world and the drivers fly in private jets, right? It's not possible for f1 to go carbon neutral

[@TheSurfRyder]

You’re enthusiastic approach is always awesome. Makes every video great!!

[@helloryantanaka]

Excellent as always. So nice to feel time was well spent on KZbin :)

[@fabiandi13]

Love your video, but right at the end, I kind of had an issue with the point of Formula E being greener and therefore better for the future of road cars. While F1 won't go electric, their push for carbon neutral fuel could mean that the cars from today can drive much longer (maybe with slight changes to their fuel systems). If everybody had to switch to electric cars at some point, wouldn't it result in a lot of unnecessary waste because cars that have a lot of life left in them would have to be discarded? I feel like F1's vision is much more applicable to the mass market

[@nicholaswilson9724]

The upcoming bans are only on the sale of new gas cars, used cars will still be able to be purchased, so the switch to full electric will still take decades as the older cars slowly get replaced through attrtition.

[@fabiandi13]

@@nicholaswilson9724 I know but I mean the switch is not truly necessary if manufacturers find a way to mass produce renewable fuel by then. That would save even more resources I’d say

[@Jehty21]

@@fabiandi13 what switch are you talking about? Nobody (at least not yet) is forcing people to replace their cars. People sell their cars when they want a new car or the old car is broken. So no, green fuels won't prolong the life of any car.

[@megafrodo100]

@@nicholaswilson9724 The upcoming ban in the EU excludes cars running on biofuel

[@PrograError]

😅 Singapore's COE system is causing new car renewals every 10 years... Older cars are really rare here

[@alexg4072]

Watching the ePrix in Cape Town on the 25th and cant wait 🥳

[@noahgundermann2426]

Great video! The quality of the edit is phenomenal

[@jeremythreat844]

The interactive boost from the fan is so dope!

[@emerickfekete6792]

yeah but it wasn't very fair for the drivers

[@TitusRex]

Friendship ended with Formula-1. Now Formula-e is my best friend.

[@franciscosalvucci7209]

Let's wait for Netflix to do what they do best. I'm 100% sure "Fromula E: Go Green or Go Home" will make the sport mainstream in no time. haha

[@Four9sFineJewelry]

Next, do a video on where and how all of the raw materials come from to make all of these electric batteries and motors.

[@AS19Motorsport]

The series is more competitive than possibly any other single-seater championship. The grid is incredibly strong, cars are close and them being able to move around and slide makes mistakes more likely. I’m really enjoying this season, even if only two races have happened thus far

[@m.i1343]

go watch motogp sprints .............

[@racevoltGamerthemecedesguy]

Only including taile pipe emtion is stupid because ev emit but at your country it do in difrent country

[@anydaynow01]

It's exciting because it's basically high speed bumper cars. It's the only reason I watch it, it's the opposite for me with F1 I could careless about the drivers I follow the tech updates and what the engineers are up to with the cars.

[@rotua98]

nice video as always im enjoying Formula E, but my problem with it is the fan vote, it stupid to have that no matter how small the reward is i don't think its healthy, its like an unfair popularity contest

[@minghueileong]

Fanvote is no longer a thing.

[@thebeepingbeast367]

I am pumped to see this year's formula E happening in my city, Hyderabad!!

[@AliceBruce6661]

I mean, this sport is not to show us what the future car will look like. It's a racing sport... And electricity needs to be generated in some way, which is polluting too. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love both F1 and F-E, but I don't think the point of F1 is showing the future. It's showing how fast can humans, cars and humans in cars go (which yea, most of the time means to get the latest tech, but not just for the sake of it being new), and compete against each other, but even this is done with some restraints. F1 cars from years ago run more than nowadays cars, and that's because of security regulations and all that stuff. So yea... A lot of "buts" here. Not hating, though!! Also, I'm Spanish, I'm so glad you came!

[@domramsey]

I lost interest in F1 about 10 years ago when it became too much about money for my liking. Formula E is just so much more interesting, accessible, and it feels like you're getting in at the start of something big.

[@Sentrme]

I'm very excited for this new era! It's not about the noise it's about the varying level of tech and direction of motorsports. The cars sound amazing to me!!

[@anydaynow01]

FE is great since they can get around a lot of the noise ordinances some cities have and the racing is close. I also love F1 for the tech updates and the fact it is first and foremost a constructors championship and not a spec series. Even though new passenger vehicles will eventually be EV only a lot of places are allowing companies to make limited number of vehicles that will run on synthfuels, so the ICE in the F1 power unit is safe since a lot of the top teams are super car and sports car makers who will have an ICE in their customer cars for the foreseeable future. The ICE is the visceral beating heart and personality of a sports car, even better if it has a stick shift and third pedal!

[@southernpride494]

I hate to be the person to burst the electric car bubble, but it isn't feasibly possible to replace all gas engines with electric cars(with lithium ion). The pollution is off the charts for mining the minerals required. The hybrid engine that f1 runs is the most thermal efficient power unit in the world, and with the new 2026 engine regs, they're building more feasible tech that would dramatically reduce carbon emissions with bio fuels/hybrid model. I do like the electric race car concept because of their ability for awesome tracks like the indoor outdoor track in London and I do like the innovation that this series is bringing. This video is really well done, keep up the good work!

[@United_Wings]

Not bad, but not better than F1

[@ricardo.acdhnd]

That new break system is actually so smart. This should be making bigger headlines than other things

[@haydenho154]

regenerative brakes have been around for a long time now, since 1967 actually, fe just made them good like f1 did with paddle shifting

[@harrisonkangaho]

Sneak peak into the future, awesome production & video, good work Cleo

[@0o0ification]

Thanks for making this video! I know that I needed a crash course. The tech and cars are super cool, just like F1, and the talent is top tier too. Here's to many more years :D

[@mdbizzarri]

The Isle of Man TT has been racing electric bikes for several years. It's interesting that a smaller 2 wheel machine was the first, though the race was limited in laps, but was incorporated into the entire event since the fans were already at the location. Two similar sports with 2 different approaches. Interesting times indeed!

[@singular9]

Yeah...gas cars aint going anywhere. Everyone who thinks that EV's will be ubiquitous and ICE cars are dead is so oblivious to how the world works. Electric is great and all, but horribly unsustainable in mass volume. Its easy now, because we only have a few million EV's on the road TOTAL. The moment everyone drives an EV and we need to think about recycling and power grid economics and logistics...its pretty much over for humanity, we will be swimming in lithium. You can always melt down metal or recycle oil, we have been doing it for centuries. And no, F1 will never be irrelevant, and if it goes full electric, sure, it will be fine either way, but we are so far away from that, at least 20-30 years before we have electric motors that can use 1/10th the power and batteries with 2-3x the density. The engineering is stuck at a bottleneck. "But what about the bans" LMFAO politicians go back and forth on their word every minute, you think this is any different?

[@definitelyjustjj4042]

we should also note that F1 is switching to biofuels, which maybe more sustainable for a few reasons. 1) we can retain the ICE cars on the road by running them on these cleaner fuels, reducing the demand for production of new electric cars, and reducing waste because we don't have to dispose the ICE cars since they would be still used. 2) biofuels may be a renewable source of energy since it can be produced using vegetation and our waste products, unlike batteries where they have to mine lithium and other metals, which are limited on earth (honestly I don't know if my second point is very convincing but I personally think it is valid) but who knows what the future holds? It's likely not us who decides the fate of cars, it's politicians and those higher ups so yeah

[@luislongoria6621]

Unless science can create a better form of carbon capture than plants and trees, there's going to be a recurring cycle of wildfires where CO2 accelerates plant growth until all the water has been consumed because there's no market for paper products that traditionally encouraged proper forestry management to prevent wildfires from occurring

[@Affalterbach1967]

3:39 Love the retro Monty-Pythonesque animation

[@developingtank]

Love your vids. Keep 'em coming!

[@benfulford3943]

From 2026 Formula 1 are moving away from gasoline engines and are instead using synthetic fuels. These fuel have to be carbon neutral and can't use any land that would otherwise be used for agricultural. While their are currently some issues around synthetic fuels and their implementation in the real world, F1 are betting on them being able to completely replace fossil fuels. At the moment this looks like an outside bet but one of the advantages are that they can be used in a regular internal combustion engine.

[@rvgracer]

Watching Formula e from the beginning; this was the first live race I went to. The Portland Oregon race at PIR was amazing! For the first time they raced on an established circuit with plenty of run offs so they could push the cars passed their limit and hitting a top speed of nearly 175 mph down the straight on street tires! I could not imagine if they allowed slicks. They sounded like little jet fighters! Just to let you know After 2 decades of working as a auto technician on gasoline and diesels! I am happy and excited to be working on pure electric cars! Amazing technology and Formula e is one of the closest racing leagues out there! ❤ Excited to see where this sport will be when we approach the limit of a 100% efficiency! 😉

[@artysanmobile]

I enjoy your passion for the subject. Constructively, I’d like to offer the following corrections. • “Braking re-gen” has been in electric cars the public buys right from the start. It is not a new tech derived from Formula E. • Agag’s suggestion that F1 is currently “50/50 internal combustion/electric” is in no way true, not even close! Excepting an initial charge at the beginning of the race that is good for far less than 1% of the car’s total race power, 99+% comes from the fuel. After that first lap, the cars operate as hybrids charging their own battery using braking re-gen and direct engine generation. Next year’s rules are for a much stronger electric motor but the fundamentals remain. It’s virtually all fuel that powers an F1 car through the race.

[@JeremyCoppin]

The gamification of formula-e is why it will never be taken seriously by people who work IRL. It's so much a game you might as well watch a game on Twitch.

[@reubenmckay]

Two observations on proposals to ban the sale of new gas/diesel cars: 1) These proposals do not take into account that electric vehicles are prohibitively expensive for the average motorist -- this includes manufacturers making the internals of their vehicles inaccessable thereby forcing owners to make expensive trips to garages/repair shops/approved dealers/etc for maintenance that could have been done at home; 2) These proposals do not address the total lack of infrastructure for charging electric vehicles -- especially in remote/rural areas (and some places like these still don't have basic modern infrastructure such as reliable high-speed internet/mobile data connections or energy supply).

[@scubasteve78]

Love the content, such great reporting. For myself I think the thumbnails could be a bit more eye catching though.

[@cozycollision]

i always learn some new fascinate stuffs from your videos :)

[@circuitdotlt]

15 years ago I have DIYed an ebike with only regen brake in the rear, and a dual disc brake in front. Regen as rear brake was more than enough. I'm happy formula-e has caught up with me ;)

[@harishgowtham7973]

Love the way you present and articulate your content Cleo ❤

[@Mermaidkilla]

thanks for the follow up! When you did the F1 video, I already wondered why you didn't mention Formula E at all.

[@lukedav]

Another great video Cleo!! I would absolutely love to go to a Formula E race!

[@aggiewoodie]

Let’s be clear- the things from video games- boosts- that you’re all excited about are the things traditional fans hate.

[@plrrt]

amazing video Cleo!! i love F1 and loved your coverage on Formula E.

[@TheFallorn]

“Can’t you imagine them on a ski vacation thinking all this up?” Maybe guillotines weren’t such a bad idea…

[@isrexinsane]

"In this case, horses are not illegal. Combustion cars are going to become illegal." is a hilarious quote

[@racevoltGamerthemecedesguy]

Yeah

[@racevoltGamerthemecedesguy]

To be honest ev is scam

[@Laurynas_LTU]

I'm not a fan of F1 because of the huge amount of CO2 that the industry produces (cars, logistics, etc.). However, I really welcome the Formula E because the advancements in their tech will drip down to the family/city car and it will speed up the green transition. Thank you for this great video!

[@luislongoria6621]

There's never been any drip between racing and family/city cars because they're made from different materials unless you have a few million euros to splurge on a road car

[@lwwarrior1]

not sure how they can claim that they are trialling regen braking when this has been on all F1 cars since the beginning of the turbo hybrid era. This is already very tried and tested.

[@MischaMillion]

Awesome video, you have a talent to make complex ideas really interesting! But you missed out on such a super smooth transition into your ad... Something like : "Now, let's talk about another high-performance 'engine' - your body. Just like these racing machines, your body needs the right fuel to function at its best, to keep you running smoothly and efficiently day in and day out." 😆

[@Bones-ho6ir]

How you don’t have 1mm+ subs yet is beyond my mind. This is the best content I seen in a while.. keep it up 🎉🎉🎉

[@Abhay_whynot]

i love that there is two indian team in formula-e mahindra and jaquar...

[@zesegatto]

This break system is the most interesting thing about Formula E.

[@gagannkangovi6321]

Awesome channel. Thanks for all the exciting news you show :)

[@BearMeat4Dinner]

Cleo - Madrid's my hometown! Great video as usual ❤

[@4literv6]

This was excellent as so many of your videos are. 👍🏻 Suggestions as said to cover the extreme E the off road Dakar style racing series in depth. They have multiple teams sponsored by former f1 drivers&champions. Plus driver teams are split evenly between men&women. 😎 Then you have the upcoming all ev boat series E1 which also will have women pilot's, started by the extreme e people. And a little known British ev conversion shop has been working on an all electric open wheel private race series with the car's fully fia certified and costing about $80,000. Similar to an f3 series car. Full slicks real downforce 20-30min races. Then NASCAR is rumored to be debuting an all ev next gen car with 3 motors and 1000+hp this season. Supposedly 30+min demo heats with 10+cars from 3 different manufacturer's. No pit stops unless for damage. All are required to run as fast as the gassers lap time's.

[@twoxtone_]

so happy i can across this video! Subscribed!

[@hanstubben]

I'm more excited over sustainable fuel than pure electric. Full electric seems to be a solution that can work in Europe or specific regions in North America, but don't see it as easy adaptable here in Brazil. On the other hand ethanol is used as a more or less sustainable fuel since the early eighties here. Also the electric power grid is fed with a great percentage of clean energy. I see that the future will have hybrid systems, with local energy needs being provided by clean electric and long haul with biofuels.

[@jacktowle704]

I'd love to see a video like this about WEC. I think the Hypercars are so interesting, it would be a great video

[@morrisonben]

Really great video and a nice insight into a sport I've been following for a few years now, glad to have learnt a few new things about this new generation!

[@SportsIncorporated]

What's more exciting to me (I've been a Formula 1 fan since the 1970's), is how the world is going to come up with all the stuff we need for electric cars,... A lot of this stuff comes from the middle of nowhere. There aren't roads, it's on the seafloor. You've gotta get a permit for a road through the wilderness*, you've gotta get the world on board to pick up nodules on the sea floor, you have to crush a lot of rock, the stuff you need may be unavailable on the other side of the iron curtain,... * I had a silver/zinc mining stock that eventually went bust. But it was a big day when they finally got a road permit that allowed them to skirt past a national park & Indian tribe. The stock went up around 10% that day.