Formula E's Julia Paré says technology is the answer to climate change

Formula E is at the top of the sports and sustainability food chain. This year, the All-Electric Motorsport Championship has once again been recognized for its work in this sector, scoring well on all its ESG markers in various independent third-party sustainability indices. Formula E has long been a pioneer in using technology to fight climate change, and has a clear goal of taking that technology from the track to the road, while educating the public about sustainability issues. Masu. As the championship reaches the halfway point of its 10th season, I sat down with Julia Pare, Formula E's Vice President of Sustainability, to discuss the past, present and future of the championship's sustainability journey.

Tokyo ePrix

Speaking in Tokyo on the eve of the inaugural Tokyo ePrix, an excited Paré said the experience and reception in Japan had been great. Expectations were high even before the race at Tokyo Big Sight, as the race sold out within minutes of tickets going on sale, despite heavy rain during the race.

Combining electric motorsport with the Japanese sports market and Japan's environmentally conscious culture was a natural fit for Paré. Pare reminded me that “a core value of Japanese culture is living in harmony with the environment.” She points out that Japanese culture has successfully blended tradition and technology, and some of the promising partnerships between Formula E and the City of Tokyo dovetail perfectly with the city's strong net zero emissions strategy. He pointed out that this was the case.

Since the two share the same principles, Paré saw the introduction of racing and electric motorsport to the Japanese market as “a great way to promote adoption through sport.” Not only will this race provide an exciting spectacle for the Japanese public, but Formula E's presence in Japan will reinforce the notion that electric cars and superior electrification are readily available.

This advancement through technology, particularly electrification, is at the core of Formula E and the Vice President of Sustainability's thinking. As climate change continues to increase the risks to sport and important aspects of daily life, Paré continues to bet on technology as a solution to humanity's greatest challenges. Mr. Paré stated in no uncertain terms: “We believe that technology is the answer to all kinds of challenges, especially climate challenges. We believe that through technology we can meet the challenge of climate change.”

fast charging technology

Formula E has made great strides over the past decade with the introduction of innovative electric vehicle (EV) technology. The sport is long gone from the days when cars had to be changed mid-race due to limited battery capacity. Pare expects this progress to continue.

As Formula E looks towards Gen4, the words on the lips of fans and executives alike are 'fast charging technology'. The technology was due to be introduced this season but has faced repeated delays, with Motorsport reporting that CEO Jeff Dodds has confirmed that the fast-charging technology won't be ready until next season. That's what it means.

Despite the delays, Formula E's fast charging technology still has the potential to be a game changer in Pare's eyes. Paré believes battery range is a thing of the past, and charging and infrastructure issues are the reason why consumers still have doubts about EVs. “People have a hard time or are afraid to adopt an electric vehicle if they need to drive long distances outside of the city,” Pare said, adding that they often ask, “Will I find a charger? ” he asked. How many hours does it take to charge a battery?” Fast charging solves these problems, giving daily commuters and family travelers the peace of mind that they can stop and charge their car in minutes. It can take less time than filling a conventional internal combustion engine with fuel. gasoline.

Fast charging technology charges the Formula E car at 600 kW for 30 seconds, replenishing the battery with 4 kWh. According to Autoweek , the new technology will be named “Attack Charge” and will introduce pit stops to electric motorsport, adding a new element of excitement and bringing the TV product closer to F1. For the average consumer, this technology makes his EV idea more accessible. Possibility of long distance travel.

Paré said the championship's engineers were still “honing their skills”, so technology transfer from track to road would have to wait a few more months. She says it's because “we want to be efficient and add something from a sporting point of view”, but adds: “We never compromise”, adding: “The idea is that we do what we do in the championship, we want to develop “It's about making sure we can use everything we've done,” he added. It's a road. ”

saudi pif investment

As the championship continues to grow in popularity (CEO Dodds says it now has nearly 400 million fans worldwide), investing in it becomes more attractive. In late January, Formula E, Extreme E and E1 all received investment from an unlikely source: the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF).

PIF, which claims to have more than $900 billion in assets under management across 13 sectors, recently began investing in sports as part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's economic diversification strategy, Vision 2030. Last year, the fund acquired 75% of four major stocks. He also founded LIV Golf, the Saudi professional league soccer club, eventually pushed through a merger with the PGA, and most recently shocked the tennis world by offering a $2 billion proposal to merge the ATP and WTA. .

Saudi Arabia has an established presence in motorsport, with annual F1 (Jeddah) and Formula E (Diriyah) races being held, and several Saudi companies hosting well-known companies such as Formula E's NEOM McLaren and F1's Aston Martin. I support the team. However, investments in Formula E, Extreme E and E1 have increased the seriousness of their commitment to electric motorsport, leaving many in the sport and climate change communities skeptical.

Pare remains firm on the issue, saying Saudi Arabia is committed to Vision 2030 and a strong sustainability agenda, which is “backed up by action.” Mr. Paré is also known as someone who likes to have everyone at the table. She told me this in Japan. “When it comes to Saudi Arabia, I have always said that given the scale of the challenge before us, it is even more important that everyone is around the table, including those who were in Saudi Arabia. Because they can certainly be part of the solution, given the knowledge and resources they have.”

Formula E's Vice President of Sustainability went on to say that PIF and Formula E have common values ​​and both have shown a willingness to work together and challenge things. She was adamant that PIF “doesn't just talk the talk, it walks the talk” and said Saudi Arabia could become the next solar energy powerhouse. She also pointed out that Formula E has indeed worked with the Saudi government to try to change the status quo, mentioning the country's first mixed-gender concert and the first-ever female rookie driver exam. Formula E is involved in the planning.

While it is true that Saudi Arabia has loosened social restrictions and sought to diversify its economy through sports and tourism, it is also true that it remains an authoritarian regime doubling down on oil and gas. A few days before Julia and I spoke, Amin H. Nasser, CEO of Saudi Aramco, spoke at the annual CERAWeek conference, urging policymakers to “understand the illusion of phasing out oil and gas.” “We should abandon this and instead invest appropriately to reflect realistic demand expectations.” He added that the oil and gas market still has “potential for significant demand growth.”

Considering these statements, Aramco, which is almost 98% owned by the Saudi government and PIF, is in direct opposition to global emissions reduction targets and Formula E's goals of mass electrification of the automotive industry and educating the public about climate change. That means you are doing it. and issues of environmental sustainability.

Perhaps, with PIF investment and the presence of its executives, Formula E can be steered towards decarbonisation. However, Formula E must remain wary of the potential for its reputation to be used in campaigns to paint PIF and other investments and activities in a more positive light.

Emission reduction and sport for the purpose

Formula E is celebrating its 10th anniversary as a competition and continues to reduce emissions through smart decision-making and technology. At the start of the season, the Championship moved its logistics base from the UK to Valencia on Spain's east coast. This decision was taken because it allows for an increase in sea freight and road transport, reducing the use of air transport if necessary. According to initial data from Formula E and DHL, thanks to this move, the championship will be able to save more than 1,300 tons of CO2 in transport and logistics. Additionally, he keeps the championship on track towards his SBTi-aligned goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 5% each year.

Giulia described Formula E's continued efforts to reduce CO2 emissions as a way to balance the championship as it seeks to grow. She is an engineer and for her it is all about efficiency. The Giulia will run on renewable energy at every event, with biofuels used for road transport and the use of sustainable aviation fuel being considered for the championship (the benefits of which are still up for debate). And most importantly, she says, is Formula E. She is constantly striving to make calendars more efficient from a geographic perspective using a clustered approach. ”

She claimed in Tokyo that the championship “always makes sure that each generation of cars fundamentally breaks down some of the barriers to mass adoption of EVs.” Her excitement for the championship's potential was clear, saying that Formula E “will use Gen4 as a technological means to improve everything about batteries, sustainability, service life and CO2 emissions,” and Gen4 technology will She remained tight-lipped about what it would look like, though she added that it would be very advanced.

As Earth Day approaches, there's no better time than now to find reasons and solutions to be optimistic about the future. Formula E epitomizes how technology can be used to help solve the climate change challenges facing humanity. In the run-up to Earth Day, Pare will appear on several Earthfest podcasts to share his hard-earned insights about the power of sports to raise the conversation about environmental protection. She says, “It's powerful to show that we don't have to be insensitive when talking about climate change,” and that “living a sustainable lifestyle is actually a really cool and easy thing to do.” He added that it helps to show that.