Our race into the Future. - Continental Tyres New Zealand

Extreme locations. Extreme racing. A race for a compelling cause

The most stunning locations, a most pressing reason and the ultimate tyre test. This is Extreme E Racing.

We are proud to be a founding partner of the newest and most important race series for a generation. Taking in some of the most uncharted and diverse scenery, with a course that spans the globe and encounters soaring heat and plummeting lows, Extreme E is taking electric vehicles to challenging new height using the reach of motorsport as a platform to tell a story, share knowledge and increase awareness of the environment and equality.

Unplugged. Untamed.

The race to spark conversation and change

Think Electric Cars are only good for smooth tarmac in metropolitan centres? Think again. Extreme E takes on some of the wildest and most untamed regions of the world. The races require teams to jump over sand dunes, slide around the ice and crawl up and over rock. Each location has been chosen to highlight specific issues and raise awareness, the action taking place as we work on a bigger race at the same time. That of sustainability and the wellbeing of the planet. It’s of critical importance and as we strive to improve our own operations and reduce our own environmental tyreprint as a company, we are committed to doing what we can to spark conversations and change in others.

A new Breed of Tyre

Engineered for the Extreme

All teams in Extreme E use the same tyre, regardless of the location. A tyre that can withstand scorching heat and provide enough traction for a 2.3 metre wide, 400kw beast to climb sand dunes. A tyre that can grip in sub-zero temperatures, sticking racers to the track through snow and over ice. It’s the toughest tyre we’ve ever made.

The Continental CrossContact Extreme E is a new kind of tyre. Designed for the extremes, it’s built with a completely new compound, formed into a tread featuring unique traction ribs and pockets. The casing has been reinforced to withstand the immense pressure and loads. It is the most versatile, adaptive and tough tyre we have ever made. There is nothing else like it in the world.

A tyre that can withstand scorching heat and provide enough traction for a 2.3 metre wide, 400kw beast to climb sand dunes.

The most Extreme battery power

Extreme acceleration and thermal resilience

The power source for Extreme E racers is a specially designed battery capable of generating a power output of up to 470kw. That’s about the same power output as 630bhp. Designed by Williams Advanced Engineering, the batteries also have to withstand their biggest enemy, extreme heat and cold.

Housing the battery is a Spark Racing Technology construction with a niobium steel alloy tubular frame, and featuring a crash structure and roll cage. The vehicles are 4.4 metres long, 2.3 metres wide and weigh 1650kg. The max torque achievable is 920 nm.

These batteries, along with the tyres, are standard on each vehicle and every team. The same standardisation applies to the chassis. Only the bodywork may be customised by each team.

"Star Wars pod racing meets Dakar rally"

How Extreme E Racing works

And how to win the Championship

Races are held over an action-packed weekend. There are two days of racing per event. The qualifying sessions will take place on the first day before the final rounds will be held on the second day. Each team races twice on day 1 in grids up to four cars. At the end of day 1, the top four progress to semi-final 1 and the bottom four go into semi-final 2, the so-called “crazy race”. The top three from semi-final 1 progress to the final, but only one from the all-or-nothing “crazy race”. The winner of the final wins the X prix.

The off-road stages are around 8 km in length, and there are two laps per race. After the first lap the drivers have to switch so that one lap is driven by the female and one lap driven by the male driver.

See Extreme E up close in Action

Introducing the Teams

The initial series sees nine teams competing. Three are from the UK, with two each from the USA, Germany and Spain. Each consists of a male and female driver. They share the driving responsibilities and must spend the same time behind the wheel.

Standing behind the drivers are racing legends from multiple disciplines. Seven time Formula 1 Champion, Lewis Hamilton, has entered a team. As has the 2009 F1 Champion, Jenson Button. From Nascar, we have Michael Andretti. Finally, there is arguably the greatest World Rally Championship driver of all time, Sebastien Loeb.

The Teams Are:

ABT Cupra XE (Germany) Drivers: Jutta Kleinschmidt & Mattias Ekstrom

Acciona Sainz XE (Spain) Drivers: Laia Sainz & Carlos Sainz

Andretti United (USA) Drivers: Catie Munnings & Timmy Hansen

JBXE (UK) Drivers: Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky & Kevin Hansen

Roseberg X Racing (Germany) Drivers: Molly Taylor & Johan Kristoffersson

Segi TV Chip Ganassi Racin g (USA) Drivers: Sara Price & Kyle Leduc

Veloce Racin g (UK) Drivers: Jamie Chadwick & Stephane Sarrazin

X4 4 (UK) Drivers: Cristina Gutierrez & Sebastian Loeb

XITE Energy Racing (Spain) Drivers: Christine GZ & Oliver Bennett

Season 1 Race Overview

The Desert X Prix

Race 1 - Alula, Saudi Arabia 3rd & 4th April 2021
With sand flying everywhere, there were software failures, crashes and controversy. The clouds of sand being spat out demanded a change to the race approach, with a focus on time trials rather than racing. Throughout all the drama, Rosenberg X Racing set the pace and became the team to hunt down and beat. Andretti Utd and X44 made it to the final against Rosenberg's team. They both put up a great fight, pushing all the way. But when the sand settled, the Roseberg X Racing team made it across the line to secure the first-ever victory in Extreme E.
The Ocean X Prix

Race 2 - Dakar, Senegal 29th & 30th May 2021
Senegal was even more exciting. Swapping the loose desert sand for the firmer, more compact sand that meets the incoming waves of ocean tides, there were cars overtaking each other and some spectacular crashes. RXR and X44 were both involved in setting the early pace. The final itself was not short on high drama, as the pace setters both headed into the first corner and touched, X44 being sent off the track and into a dune, ending their final before a single lap was complete. JBXE also failed to the finish, after Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky tried to change lanes on the beach section, only for a rut to rip off the rear suspension. This gave RXR a relatively easy second win, beating Veloce in a restart at the beginning of the second lap.
The Arctic X Prix

Race 3 - Kangerlussuaq, Greenland 28th & 29th August 2021
As the temperatures plummeted, the racing action kicked off with a blistering pace set by a resurgent X44. No doubt eager to avenge the forced withdrawal in the final of the Beach X Prix, they set the standards throughout qualifying on day 1. The course itself was arguably the most challenging so far and made for a remarkable spectacle, cars forced to navigate some vicious terrain changes, sand and water challenges, ridge drops...and the instantly famous ‘rock garden’. The final saw what many would have expected, X44 going tyre to tyre with RXR. But it seems nothing is certain in Extreme E and the course often has other ideas. As did Andretti Utd, storming through in the first 5 car final to take the top podium spot. In the end, RXR finished 5th, blowing the championship wide open as we head into the final 2 races.
The Island X Prix

Race 4 - Sardinia, Italy 23rd & 24th October
This was the race when the conditions would really have an impact on the result, throwing a good dose of controversy into the proceedings at the same time. The track was damp and difficult, and was to have a telling impact on the results.
Topping Qualifying was Lewis Hamilton’s X44, closely followed by RXR, having regained some composure following their poor result at the Arctic X Prix. But the next round was to prove telling, with the slippery surface and mechanical issues robbing multiple teams of a finish, including X44, who had to retire after a slow puncture gave way to broken steering. With Andretti United also failing to finish, RXR had a relatively smooth run to the top of the podium and a commanding position at the top of the leaderboard ahead of the final X Prix.
The Jurassic X Prix

Race 5 - Dorset, UK 18th & 19th December
If ever there was some final race drama, then this was it. The consistently excellent X44 once again topped qualifying, with series leader RVR hot on the tail in 2nd position. But that’s as close as RVR would get to them. In the final they lagged some 15 seconds behind X44, who also scored bonus points for setting the fastest time of the round. When the checkered flag was lowered, bringing with it the end to the first ever season of Extreme E, RVR had dropped back to 3rd place. It meant X44 had, amazingly, closed the gap in the overall standings and both teams stood on 155 points. But…there can be only one winner and RVR was crowned champion on account of winning more X Prix’s than their rival. A thrilling end to a fascinating and exciting debut season for the new sport.
You can catch up on all the previous race action on the official Extreme E YouTube Channel.
The championship winners

The winner team: Rosberg X Racing (RXR) - Johan Kristoffersson, Nico Rosberg and Molly Taylor.