When the lights went out in Valencia in early December 2022, the Formula E paddock turned into a chamber of dread. One team principal greeted a journalist with a cynical, "Welcome to the farce." That was the mood when the Formula E Gen3 car first underwent private testing, riddled with crashes and safety concerns that nearly derailed the season.
Born during the Covid-19 pandemic, Gen3 was a massive project for the FIA and Formula E Operations. Despite many challenges, this car became the foundation for a new, faster, and more spectacular era. However, its journey was thorny. A series of crashes in private tests—from Theo Pourchaire landing on a sandbank at Calafat, Sam Bird escaping a scary shunt, to Oliver Rowland bruising his legs in a crash—were early warning signs.
The root cause was Gen3's design that eliminated conventional rear brakes. Regenerative braking and brake-by-wire systems were deemed sufficient, but they were not. When powertrains hit issues and shut down, drivers lost all braking capability. This was not just a technical issue but a safety time bomb.
Pressure peaked when Sebastien Buemi crashed into the wall at Valencia. That incident triggered an open crisis; talk of postponing the season began to echo. Marathon meetings were held, and an emergency solution was born: a secondary solenoid-activated braking system for the second round in Saudi Arabia. Despite this, concerns lingered as the season started in Mexico.
Mitch Evans had a huge shunt in Mexico City, making Jaguar and Envision nearly withdraw. Yet, from this crisis came valuable lessons. Engineers finally understood the limits of regenerative braking and the importance of redundancy. Gradual improvements made Gen3 more mature, eventually leading to the faster and more aggressive Gen3 Evo in 2025.
Now, Formula E is set to enter its fourth era of regulations with a significant power increase that will shape the sporting landscape until 2030. Gen3, with all its flaws, has been a harsh teacher. It taught that innovation without adequate testing can backfire, but also that crisis can be a catalyst for change. The new era will bring Formula E to greater speeds and appeal, attracting fans and investors. However, the lessons from Gen3 must always be remembered: safety can never be compromised for progress.
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