Formula E and the FIA have officially taken the wraps off GEN4 at Circuit Paul Ricard in the south of France. This is the car that will race in the 2026/27 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship season. 335kph top speed. 0-100kph in 1.8 seconds. 600kW in ATTACK MODE. Pay attention the future is here.
Key Points: Formula E GEN4 Unveiled
- GEN4 made its track debut on 21 April 2026 at Circuit Paul Ricard, France
- 600kW in ATTACK MODE, a 71% increase over GEN3 Evo, with 50% more power in race mode
- 335kph top speed, 0-200kph in 4.4 seconds, 1.5 seconds faster than GEN3 Evo
- The only FIA single-seater racing car with permanent all-wheel drive, per Formula E
- Expected to lap 10 seconds faster than GEN3 in qualifying mode
- The world’s first 100% recyclable race car, with at least 20% recycled materials across key components
What Is the Formula E GEN4?
GEN4 is the fourth-generation Formula E race car, developed jointly by the FIA and Formula E. It replaces the GEN3 Evo, which itself was an updated version of the GEN3 car introduced in Season 9. Where each previous generation brought incremental gains, GEN4 is described as a step-change.
The car hit the track for the first time in front of a select audience at Circuit Paul Ricard on 21 April 2026. All six manufacturers, Porsche, Jaguar, Stellantis, Nissan, Lola Cars, and Mahindra, were present. This was the mule car. The real development push begins now, with each manufacturer working on their own powertrain and energy management systems before the racing season starts.
“GEN4 isn’t just a car, it’s a bold declaration of our ambition. Seeing what it can do on track for the first time is a real milestone for Formula E – we are now delivering performance levels that were thought impossible for electric vehicles just five years ago.”
Jeff Dodds, CEO, Formula E
Five years ago GEN3 hadn’t even been announced. The pace of development here is genuinely rapid.
GEN4 Performance Figures: The Numbers That Matter
This is where GEN4 gets serious. To understand how far Formula E has come, you need to see these stats sitting next to each other.
Top speed: 335kph (210mph). GEN3 Evo was 320kph. GEN1 was 225kph.
0-100kph: Approximately 1.8 seconds. That acceleration figure currently surpasses that of Formula One.
0-200kph: 4.4 seconds. That’s 1.5 seconds faster than the GEN3 Evo.
Maximum power: 600kW (804bhp) in ATTACK MODE. GEN3 Evo produced 350kW. That’s a 71% increase in base output.
Race mode power: 50% more than GEN3 Evo.
Maximum regeneration: 700kW. GEN3 Evo managed 600kW.
Energy recovery: Over 40% of energy used during a race recaptured.
Lap time gain (qualifying mode): An average of 10 seconds faster per lap than GEN3 in qualifying trim. In race mode, at least five seconds faster on street circuits compared to GEN3 Evo.
Weight: 950kg including driver. That’s heavier than GEN3 Evo at 863kg, which is a consequence of the bigger battery, AWD system, and additional hardware. The car is also physically larger at 5,540mm long, up from 5,101mm.
All-Wheel Drive: The Biggest Technical Shift
GEN1 and GEN2 were rear-wheel drive only. GEN3 introduced a front motor for regeneration but not for power delivery in the traditional sense. GEN4 goes further: permanent all-wheel drive, which Formula E says makes it the only FIA single-seater with that configuration.
Power distribution is split: maximum 250kW to the front axle and 350kW to the rear. Both axles contribute to regeneration, recovering up to 350kW front and 350kW rear simultaneously.
Brakes are by-wire front and rear, which makes sense alongside an AWD regeneration system pulling from both ends. Manufacturers control torque distribution and management at the rear, while the front axle is FIA-supplied. That split gives them a real area to find performance advantage without the whole car becoming an open development war.
For drivers, AWD changes everything about how the car responds under acceleration, particularly exiting tight street circuit corners. Energy management, already the defining skill in Formula E, becomes more complex again. The one question nobody has answered yet: does more grip and more control actually reduce the unpredictability that makes Formula E races hard to call? That’s worth watching in season one.
Two Aero Configurations
GEN4 introduces something new to Formula E: two separate aerodynamic configurations. One optimised for pure qualifying performance, the other tuned for energy management during the race.
This is a significant strategic addition. In previous generations, the car ran a single aero package throughout the weekend. Now teams have to decide how much qualifying lap time they’re willing to trade for race energy. Formula E championships have been decided by margins of a handful of points. That decision is going to matter.
Battery and Charging
GEN4 uses a 51.25kWh FIA-useable energy battery. One battery for the entire season. No mid-race car swaps like the early GEN1 days. One car, one battery, full race distance.
The charging system supports up to 600kW, which feeds into one of Formula E’s stated goals of developing technology that translates directly to road-going EV charging infrastructure. That race-to-road philosophy has been central to the championship since Season 1.
Tyre Specifications
GEN4 runs on 18-inch wheels with two distinct tyre options. The all-weather grooved tyre handles dry to damp conditions, with teams allocated two sets per single event. A separate wet compound with a specific pattern covers damp to wet conditions, with one set per event.
Front size: 205/45R18. Rear: 345/35R18. The rear tyre is substantially wider than the front, reflecting the power output through the rear axle and the demands of AWD torque management.
Tyre materials are part of the sustainability story: 65% natural and recycled materials, including 30% certified natural rubber.
Safety Upgrades
GEN4 has gone through significantly more demanding crash tests than its predecessors, with higher loads and deceleration levels across both the chassis and battery. The cockpit has been widened for increased hand clearance, and a power-assisted steering system has been introduced specifically to mitigate steering rotational speed during impacts.
That last point matters more than it might sound. High-speed impacts in Formula E, often on tight street circuits with little run-off, can generate violent steering kickback. Power steering helps protect drivers’ wrists and arms in those moments. It also opens the door to a wider range of driver builds competing at the top level, which is part of the stated inclusivity goal for the car.
The driving position has also been made more adjustable, another step toward ensuring the car suits a broader range of drivers physically.
Sustainability: The 100% Recyclable Claim
Formula E has built its identity around sustainability since the beginning, but GEN4 makes a claim no other race car has made: it is described as the world’s first 100% recyclable racing car, with at least 20% recycled materials used across key components.
The battery contains no rare earth minerals. The tyres use 65% natural and recycled materials. That’s not marketing language bolted on at the end of a spec sheet. It’s baked into the construction from the start.
Formula E is the first global sport certified to the BSI Net Zero Pathway Standard and the first motorsport series to achieve B Corp Certification. GEN4 has to carry all of that. Whether it fully delivers on those claims in practice is something the series will be held to.
“It is not simply just a fast car, it is a statement of intent about the future of this technology. I am proud that the FIA and its partners in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship are leading this vision.”
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President, FIA
Generation to Generation: How Far Formula E Has Come
Twelve seasons. Four generations. The gap between GEN1 and GEN4 is almost hard to believe when you line up the stats.
GEN1 produced 200kW and topped out at 225kph. GEN4 produces 600kW in ATTACK MODE and hits 335kph. GEN1 recovered roughly 15% of energy during a race. GEN4 recovers over 40%. GEN1 was rear-wheel drive only. GEN4 is permanently all-wheel drive.
The on-track demonstration at Paul Ricard underlined this visually. GEN4 completed overtake laps on GEN1, GEN2, and GEN3 on the same circuit. That footage tells the story better than any specification sheet.
The current mule car is reportedly at least five seconds per lap faster than GEN3 Evo on street circuits in race configuration. Once manufacturers finish their development work ahead of the racing season, that gap could be larger.
The Manufacturers
Six manufacturers will develop and race GEN4 in the 2026/27 season: Porsche, Jaguar, Stellantis (running as Citroën Racing Formula E Team and CUPRA KIRO), Nissan, Lola Cars (under the Lola Yamaha ABT banner), and Mahindra.
Each manufacturer controls the rear powertrain and energy management systems. The front axle is FIA-supplied. That structure is where the championship gets interesting. Six different rear powertrain philosophies, six different approaches to torque distribution, all competing on the same street circuit with the same battery capacity. The gap between the best and worst-developed package in round one is going to be significant. Early season results will tell you who has actually cracked it and who is still catching up.
“This is just the beginning, as its refinement is now in the hands of our manufacturers – Porsche, Jaguar, Stellantis, Nissan, Lola Cars and Mahindra – to push development to even higher limits of performance ahead of its racing debut later this year.”
Jeff Dodds, CEO, Formula E
GEN4 Full Specification
Overall length: 5,540mm
Overall width: 1,790mm
Overall height: 1,113mm
Wheelbase: 3,080mm
Minimum weight (including driver): 950kg
Maximum power: 600kW (804bhp) in ATTACK MODE
Power distribution: Max 250kW front / 350kW rear
Maximum regeneration: 700kW (max 350kW front / 350kW rear)
Energy recovery: Over 40%
Top speed: 335kph / 210mph
0-100kph: Approximately 1.8 seconds
0-200kph: 4.4 seconds
Battery: 51.25kWh FIA-useable, one battery per season
Powertrain: Permanent AWD, front and rear
Brakes: Front and rear by-wire
Tyres (all-weather): Front 205/45R18 / Rear 345/35R18, 2 sets per event
Tyres (wet): 1 set per event
Aero configurations: Two (qualifying and race)
Coffee Corner Take
Formula E has always had one thing F1 can’t consistently deliver lately which is proper racing. Wheel to wheel, late braking, positions changing through the lap. Not processional tyre management. Actual racing. And it’s been doing it in near silence, which is either a feature or a bug depending on who you ask.
GEN4 doesn’t change that identity. It amplifies it. More power, permanent AWD, two aero configurations, and 10 seconds a lap faster in qualifying trim. The racing that was already close and action-packed just got a faster, more aggressive car underneath it. That’s not a minor upgrade. That’s a series accelerating toward something.
The comparison to F1 used to feel like a stretch. It doesn’t anymore. Formula E isn’t trying to be F1. It’s building its own audience, its own identity, and its own reason to watch. And with GEN4, it now has the performance numbers to sit in the same conversation. That matters.
The car looks the part too. Sleek, futuristic, genuinely menacing in the dark at Paul Ricard. Formula E’s design language has always been strong and GEN4 is the best-looking car the series has produced. When this thing hits a street circuit in race trim with six manufacturers pushing different solutions it is going to be worth the wait.
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