Everything you need to know about the 2023 Cape Town ePrix

History will be made on February 25 when the ABB FIA Formula E Championship takes to Cape Town city streets in what will be the first ePrix held in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The fifth instalment of this year’s 16-round series, it promises to deliver a high-speed spectacle as 11 teams and 22 of the world’s best drivers tackle a 2.94km circuit in the series’ ultra-fast Gen 3 racing cars campaigned by manufacturers such as Jaguar, Porsche, Nissan and Maserati.

Now whether you’re a seasoned follower of this eco-friendly electric motorsport or an absolute newbie, here is everything you need to know about the 2023 Cape Town ePrix.

It’s a showcase of speed and sustainability 

While most people will be au fait with the world of Formula One and what it’s all about (even more so since Drive to Survive aired on Netflix), many are still in the dark about Formula E, which has been travelling the world since its inaugural race was held in Beijing in 2014.

The brainchild of Spanish businessman Alejandro Agag, it’s a single-seater motorsport championship that races electric-powered cars on temporary street circuits in cities all over the world. Each race, called an ePrix, consists of several laps around said circuit with drivers attempting to complete the race in the fastest time possible.

As with Formula One, points are awarded to drivers based on their finishing position, with the driver who accumulates the most points over the season being crowned the champion. Last year this honour went to Belgian driver Stoffel Vandoorne who is racing for the DS Penske team.

Formula E is an open-chassis championship, meaning each of the 11 teams are allowed to design and build their own power trains and components. This allows for variety in terms of car performance and design — as long as they meet the regulations set by the FIA.

However, there are some common components across all Formula E cars, such as the battery, suspension and brakes, which are supplied by a single supplier to ensure cost control and parity between teams. There is also a standardised control electronics system and software platform to ensure all teams have access to the same performance data.

In a nutshell, Formula E exists to promote sustainability and innovation within the motor industry, and to raise public awareness about the benefits that battery electric vehicles offer. The series also serves as a platform for manufacturers such as Jaguar to develop and showcase new technologies that will find their way into future production car models. 

Cape Town in pole position

The Mother City was chosen as a host city for Formula E , for several reasons, including its infrastructure, accessibility and popularity as a global tourist destination.

Cape Town — and the Western Cape in general — also has a strong commitment to sustainability and clean energy, which aligns with Formula E's mission to promote electric mobility and sustainability in urban areas.

Designed to showcase some of the city’s most iconic landmarks, including Signal Hill and the megalithic Cape Town Stadium, the 2.94km  circuit will see the 22-car field fire through the Green Point and Waterfront precincts at speeds of up to 320km/h.

Running in an anticlockwise direction, the all-electric pack will set off from the start line on Vlei Road, take the first chicane left into Helen Suzman Boulevard, followed by the second left turn into Granger Bay Boulevard. The track then hurtles down Beach Road in Mouille Point, continuing alongside the picturesque oceanfront before taking a sharp left-hander into Fritz Sonnenberg Road and ending with a final right turn to the finish line. According to Formula E this circuit is tipped to be one of the quickest on the calendar.

As to be expected, spectators will be well catered for with numerous grandstands set to be erected around the course; each allowing for a unique vantage point.

There’s also a dedicated fan village offering everything from a variety of different food stores and live entertainment in between sessions, to racing simulators and a big screen broadcasting all the on-track action live.

Starting at R350 per person, this is by far the most affordable way to experience the 2023 Cape Town ePrix. Grandstand seating ranges from R995 to R3,450 per person depending on the location: Vlei Road, Helen Suzman or Granger Bay Boulevard. Accessibility tickets are also available. For more information, click on over to Ticketmaster.

A new generation of performance

The 2023 Cape Town ePrix will showcase the impressive capabilities of the sport’s new Gen 3 racing cars that pack considerably more punch than their predecessors.

Key to this is a new battery pack with a significantly higher energy density than before that allows drivers to complete a full race without changing cars. At the same time, power has been increased from 250kW to 350kW: good enough for 0-100km/h in 2.8 seconds and a top speed of over 320km/h.

Another new feature unique to the Gen 3 platform is the addition of an electric motor on the front axle dedicated to boosting regenerative power performance to 600kW. This means 40% of the energy used within a race is now produced via regenerative braking.

Eco credentials are high for all cars, with Formula E saying the electric power train boasts 95% power efficiency, compared to 40% for an internal combustion engine. 

With their new jet fighter-esque design language and deletion of individual wheel covers, the low-drag Gen 3 cars are sleeker, lighter and more compact than their forebears; something that should make for closer racing around tight city circuits.

Also, staying true to their moniker as the world’s “most efficient racing car,” bodywork is fabricated from linen and recycled carbon fibre from retired Gen 2 cars. This helps to reduce each car’s carbon footprint by more than 10%. In addition to this, natural rubber and recycled fibres now make up 26% of all the tyres made by series supplier Hankook.

All tyres will be recycled once they reach the end of their service life. 

We’re riding along with Jaguar TCS Racing

We at TimesLIVE Motoring aren’t that familiar with the world of Formula E, so when the Jaguar TCS Racing team extended us an invitation to join them at the 2023 Cape Town ePrix, we naturally jumped at it.

The British outfit has been competing in the series since 2016 and finished the 2021—22 season a strong fourth overall in the constructors’ championship. This year they’ll be hoping to climb higher up the leader board with their sexy new Jaguar I-Type 6 piloted by the super experienced pairing of New Zealander Mitch Evans and Briton Sam Bird.

Going into this weekend’s Cape Town ePrix the Jaguar TCS Racing team is fifth overall behind NEOM McLaren, Envision Racing, Avalanche Andretti and Tag Heuer Porsche. Meanwhile, Evans is 12th in the drivers’ championship and Bird sixth.

As guests of the team we'll l hopefully be able to give you a behind-the-scenes look at this electric motorsport with key insights from both drivers and team principal James Barclay.

It’s just around the corner

The on switch for the 2023 Cape Town ePrix is almost ready to be flipped with the first free practice session scheduled to go green on February 24 at 16:55. This will be followed by a second free practice session at 09:05 on February 25 and qualifying at 11:40. The race will start later that afternoon at 16:03 and will finish at 17:30.

Visit the Formula E website for more detailed event information.