Extreme E: People behind Formula E plotting off-road spin off?

Continually in disbelief over the names this thing is pulling in.
 
Today's news:
 
As rumoured a while back, Jean Eric Vergne backed Veloce Racing (sister team to Veloce Esports) has become team number four. And for some reason* they they have Adrian Newey as 'lead visionary'.
https://www.extreme-...team-entry.html

 
_{*actually it's most likely because his son, Harrison, is involved in the team's management.}

Is this the first Esports racing team that is making a transition to real world racing?

Edited by Ben1445, 19 September 2019 - 13:18.

Continually in disbelief over the names this thing is pulling in.

 

I'm convinced Agag is a magician. 

Not to be TOO cynical, but "If you pay them, they will come!"

Not to be TOO cynical, but "If you pay them, they will come!"

These threads wouldn't really feel complete without your unique and beautifully mild cynicism... 

I was, of course, being tongue in cheek. I know Agag is not really a magician. He's the son of a banker, has a degree in Economics and Business, had a short stint as an MEP, went back to the business world and ran a GP2 team then founded Formula E and took it from nothing to something in less than five years. He's just one of the few people with enough political and financial capital to pull this kind of thing off. 

I'm just suprised becuase I thought the idea was just *that* outlandish that some of the names we're seeing would have thought it too much of a risk, even if they were being paid something.

Bakkerud's comments make sense as to why he's into it though.

 

"I’m an action sports guy," said Bakkerud. "I like adrenaline and I love to challenge myself, so when I heard about the crazy places, like the mountains, the rainforests and the glaciers which we’ll get to race around, I immediately became a fan of the Extreme E idea and knew very quickly that it was perfect for me.

And Newey's comemnts also hold some intersting bits as well.

 

“The series is an exceptional platform for developing new technology, drawing attention to the earth’s environmental challenges and driving change. Veloce will play an active role in as many of Extreme E’s legacy projects as possible to help regenerate the local environments. We now can’t wait to get started on our campaign.”

I wonder how involved Newey will get with those. I'd love to see the documentary sections focussing on someone like Newey turning his exepriece to innovative, eco-friendly tech. That's my kind of ideal content.

This was a still from their launch presentation showing how the boat could become a showcase/laboratory for sustainable technolgy, for example.

Veloce concept livery

Some interesting comments in this video 

Primarily 

- As far as Veloce are concerned they are the first Esports racing team to cross over from virtual to physical 

- Newey said that races will be have both live and documentary forms, which is a development from previous concept iterations 

Edited by Ben1445, 24 September 2019 - 08:06.

Some interesting comments in this video 

 

 

Primarily 

- As far as Veloce are concerned they are the first Esports racing team to cross over from virtual to physical 

- Newey said that races will be have both live and documentary forms, which is a development from previous concept iterations 

That intersting as another indicator that we may indeed get live races for this.

Other Extreme E news from the last week or so:
 
They have a fashion partner (becasue business I guess) - at the heart of the partnership, they say, is awereness of the fashion industry's environmental impact. 
https://www.extreme-...on-Partner.html
 
They have joined the United Nations’ Sports for Climate Action Framework which consists of the commitments to:

• Promote greater environmental responsibility
• Reduce the overall climate impact from sports 
• Use its platform to educate for climate action 
• Promote sustainable and responsible consumption 
• Advocate for climate action through its communications

Kind of similar to how Formula E worked to recieve the highest sustainbabilty certification (ISO20121) for sustaianble events.

https://www.extreme-...Initiative.html

Other Extreme E news from the last week or so:
 
They have a fashion partner (because business I guess) - at the heart of the partnership, they say, is awareness of the fashion industry's environmental impact.

 

Because nothing says 'We care for the Environment' like having a fashion partner. 

If they were aware of the fashion industry's environmental impact, they wouldn't touch it with a bargepole.  This is typical of the activist mindset -  don't do as we do, do as we say. 

Edited by BRG, 28 September 2019 - 20:10.

Instinctively, I absolutely agree on the not wanting to pair up with anything fashion related. The fashion industry many of it's wasteful practices and cultures are pretty bad.

Don't agree at all on the dig at activists though. Mainy because every time I've come across that sort of arguemnt it has never meant to be constructive but instead to simply discredit and marginalise. I find it a hard stance to find any respect for, but that's just me.

The partnership with the fashion group in question will live or die on how serious they're taking the climate side of things. If it turns out they're just milking some eco-kudos without changing a thing about their practices they can get lost. I'd hope Agag was shrewd enough to put something into the contracts to stop that happening. However, if they show through this partnership what they are doing to reduce their impact or, better still, it somehow 'inspires' them to do more then I can see myself being ok with it.

_{(thanks to their Extreme E supply partnership, I've already found out about Continental's research into rubber derived from Russian dandilion roots to reduce reliance on tropical environments and oil supply).}

We have location number two.

Extreme E Reveals Damaged Amazon Location
https://www.extreme-...n-Location.html

 
Pretty extensive set of comments there in the press release (I kid you not) outlining the reasons for the choice or location and planned work to leave a lasting positive legacy. To pick a very small selection of main points:

"Our race will take place in the region of Santarém in the state of Pará, which has already been deforested and severely impacted by fire damage." [...]

 

[Efforts to leave behind a positive legacy] will involve planting and protecting an area the same size as the race location, every year of the championship.

[Francisco Oliveira, Director of Policies to combat deforestation at the Brazilian Ministry of Environment (2012-2015), PhD on Amazon conservation from the University of Cambridge]:

 

“I was intrigued when I first heard about Extreme E’s plans to use sport as a vehicle for climate action in the Amazon. This century needs to become the generation for ecosystem restoration, and I believe this electric race series offers an innovative way to build awareness amongst new audiences and inspire positive action for the protection and future health of the Amazon, and the planet.

“I look forward to assisting the Extreme E organisers and will provide advice to ensure the series’ conservation goals are supported in a responsible and effective manner.”

Edited by Vielleicht, 02 October 2019 - 18:52.

[Efforts to leave behind a positive legacy] will involve planting and protecting an area the same size as the race location, every year of the championship.

Edited by Ben1445, 03 October 2019 - 17:28.

The Extreme E car has been testing in France
https://www.extreme-...of-testing.html

Driving duties done by Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky, Timmy Hansen and Kevin Hansen. Some intersting first impressions from them.

Also this:

“At Goodwood, we only ran in a two-wheel drive configuration with Formula E motors. Now we have four-wheel drive and two motors – one front and one rear – with five or six times the torque."

Edited by Vielleicht, 10 October 2019 - 17:38.

Desert round will be held in KSA. 

https://e-racing365....s-desert-round/

Can't avoid noticing this announcement displays a bit of a break in the messaging with much less playing up of the climate change link........

Edited by Ben1445, 31 October 2019 - 22:20.

Himalaya Location Announced

https://www.autospor...-event-location

Don't these people know that there is a Climate Emergency going on?  They should be staying at home and minimising their carbon footprints.  I am.  I am absolutely not going to Greenland, the Himalayas or the Amazon.

Billy Monger has joined the Extreme E Driver's Programme

https://www.bbc.co.u...rsport/50455272

Final location (THE OCEAN) has been revealed as Lac Rose (Or Lake Retba) near.....and this is anoyngly sneaky of them.... Dakar, Senegal.

https://www.extreme-...ce-line-up.html

The Dakar Rally itself hasn't been to Dakar since 2007.

Edited by Vielleicht, 12 December 2019 - 18:08.

Calendar revealed for inaugural Extreme E campaign
https://www.extreme-...E-campaign.html
 
Provisional Extreme E Season 1 (2021) calendar:
22-23-24 January:  Lac Rose, Dakar, Senegal
4-5-6 March:  Sharaan, Al-‘Ula, Saudi Arabia
6-7-8 May:  Kali Gandaki Valley, Mustang District, Nepal
27-28-29 August: Kangerlussuaq, Greenland
29-30-31 October: Santarém, Pará, Brazil

So I assume the electric boat with all cars is already on its way?

I swear this series is the result of someone watching too many Top Gear/Grand Tour specials and deciding to do the same, but serious.

I swear this series is the result of someone watching too many Top Gear/Grand Tour specials and deciding to do the same, but serious.

That might actually make it quite popular... 

Gil de Ferran had the idea though, whatever may have inspired him. 

So I assume the electric boat with all cars is already on its way?

The good old RMS St Helena  was diesel powered, unless they have fitted a s**tload of batteries to it.  Not sure how they will get it up to Nepal though.

I'm still eagerly awaiting final details on what the refit to the St Helena will entail.

In the launch presentation, Agag said "We're going to make it sustainable; we will try to have every single possible green technology in this ship." and David de Rothschild said "This [ship] should become a place for innovation" and "showcase technologies". Post #155 in this thread has their concept image from the launch, albeit a fanciful one.

Is there also a round scheduled to plow through not-so-permafrost? Would be such a nice visual for the climate change proponents.  

The hypocricy is so painful. But that concerns more things in the news these days. 

So I assume the electric boat with all cars is already on its way?

several people are rowing the boat as we speak 

several people are rowing the boat as we speak 

Greta?

VW haven't ruled out an Extreme E presence. At least in the early stages this would be as a sillhouette.
 

“We are evaluating different options between ETCR and rallycross. Electric rallycross could still be an option. Extreme E [the new electric off-road championship] could be an option. There is nothing clear at the moment.”

(https://www.touringc...t-new-id-3-car/)

VW haven't ruled out an Extreme E presence. 

They can't afford it.  They still owe me (and many, many others) compensation for the diesel emissions cheat.  UK case currently in court.  

If you ask me this whole thing is much more suited to private entries anyway.

Venturi, ABT, HWA, Veloce? Perfect. 

They can't afford it. They still owe me (and many, many others) compensation for the diesel emissions cheat. UK case currently in court.

The largest car company in the world can buy the whole Formula E/Extreme E with their spare change. Some UK diesel boii's wont make any difference.

Well, that's good news, they can skip the court case, pay us our compensation in the UK out of their spare change, pay out in all the other countries where there are aggrieved customers and governments and then move on.  And yet they don't.

Legitimate Dieselgate grievances aside, having an Extreme E presence would be unlikely to break the bank. To put a VW badge and bodywork on the car and a small team to run it should be well under €10m and easily affordable.

However, they also want something which shows off their actual engineering experience in BEV components and systems, which in these early stages Extreme E does not provide.

It was why I found it interesting that they hadn’t ruled it out.

Edited by Vielleicht, 26 December 2019 - 23:05.

£10m could fund a whole BEV cup series that supports series that already get coverage. And help sell more cars.

Legitimate Dieselgate grievances aside, having an Extreme E presence would be unlikely to break the bank. 

No indeed and my comments were not entirely serious! 

But there is an issue for VAG that to be seen investing in apparently expensive (to the non-expert eye) motorsport projects whilst actively fighting Dieselgate claims is rather rubbing salt in the wounds of those who innocently bought VAG cars sold under false pretenses - or your customers as they used to be called.  It isn't perhaps the most tactful way to promote your future products.  If VAG told you their cars were now zero-emissions would anyone now believe them, even if they were?  Better to pay up and keep your head down till the dust settles IMO.

The Hansen brothers have a bit of race with the Odyssey 21 

There's some on-board testing footage from the car testing out in the Dakar(abia) Rally area on the Extreme E Instagram page

https://www.instagra.../p/B7QLWV8BnNS/

 

Ken Block to appear at Dakar Rally driving Extreme E E-SUV

 

Off-road racing supremo and YouTube superstar Ken Block will sample an electric racing car at the 2020 Dakar Rally, driving the Extreme E E-SUV. He will join the future alternative category together with E-bikes, E-trucks and hybrid cars to open the Grand Prix of Qiddiya, attached to the last stage of the rally, on Friday 17 January.

Block’s appearance comes after Extreme E’s Odyssey 21 was invited to appear in the 2020 Dakar Rally’s 20 kilometre finale, the Grand Prix de Qiddiya, in support of the event’s commitment to alternative energy vehicle participation in future editions. This special stage completes the gruelling twelve day, 7000+ kilometre event which tests man and machine to the limits across harsh desert terrains.

 

https://www.extreme-...me-E-E-SUV.html

Epic route. At least when it's just sand and rocks, they are no chewing up vegetation or disturbing wildlife too much.

These desert races tend to be crazy long. But who watches the whole thing?
BEVs calling for shorter stages (for now) or battery swaps, driving a bit more agressively WRC style wouldn't bother me. But don't go to the end of the world to pretend you're the original Greenpeace crew saving the planet please. Arab sandboxes and mountainfaces will do.

We are one year today away from Extreme E's inaugaural race at Lac Rose, near Dakar.

Already they have the car, a transport ship, four teams, an agreed race calendar, suppliers, a driver programme and have begun to demo the car competitively (finished 3rd in the Dakar Rally final stage).

Agree with Extreme E in principle or not, it's hard to deny that Agag and his team are very good at this setting-up-new-series business. Not that this is a sure sucess yet, but I think few manage this level of preparedness by this point.

Agree with Extreme E in principle or not, it's hard to deny that Agag and his team are very good at this setting-up-new-series business. Not that this is a sure sucess yet, but I think few manage this level of preparedness by this point.

No question that both FE and now this business were/are being well-prepared and promoted.

But having an apparently unlimited budget must be a bit of a help?

But having an apparently unlimited budget must be a bit of a help?

Definitely. Agag obviously has access to enough funding (by whatever means that may be) to get things moving. I think it is correct that he paid for the orignial set of 40 or so FE chassis to be built so that it would be easier to convince teams to join. Few people have the ability (or privellage) to be able do that. Meanwhile the EGT people seemigly haven't really done much in the 15 or so months since saying all they needed was a lead investor...

Convinced (or maybe just hoping) there'll be an independantly written book about how FE was started at some point which could share some critical insight into it. I think it would be an interesting read.

Already they have the car, a transport ship, four teams, an agreed race calendar, suppliers, a driver programme and have begun to demo the car competitively (finished 3rd in the Dakar Rally final stage).

And to this I might add... TV Deals.

They've just added TVNZ in New Zealand (https://www.extreme-...-with-TVNZ.html) and BTRC in Belarus (https://www.extreme-...in-Belarus.html).

That's in addition to previously announced Mediaset in Italy and FOX Sports in North America and Asia.

I will maintain that this is impressive going for a series that is a year out from its first race and being completely pioneering and untested as a broadcast product.

Edited by Vielleicht, 29 January 2020 - 10:07.

Now that's the sort of video I've been wanting them to release.

The acceleration of that thing is a fun to watch.

Yet another broadcast deal signed for Extreme E with RTM Malaysia signing up for 3-years

https://www.extreme-...ar-TV-deal.html

Extreme E looks to Red Bull for double hire | https://www.sportind...ull-double-hire
 

The electric off-road SUV racing series will look to draw on the pair's Red Bull experience as it beefs up its team. Kester Wilkinson, who joins from D3 Events - one of Red Bull UK’s sport event agencies - will head up events at Extreme E, while Nina Dreier - who was Sports Marketing Specialist at Red Bull UK - will join the series as Marketing Manager.

These two have worked on events such as Red Bull Soapbox and Red Bull Cliff Diving.