Extreme E season 3 starts this weekend with new 10-race format
Extreme E, the off-road electric racing championship which races in exotic locations to highlight conservation efforts, starts its third season this weekend with a race in Saudi Arabia along the coast of the Red Sea.
The first two seasons of Extreme E brought us an abundance of chaotic racing, with purpose-built electric vehicles showing their incredible capabilities in difficult terrain.
Every Extreme E race location is picked to bring awareness to one aspect of how humans are affecting the world around us. This one, the Desert X Prix, brings desertification into focus. As the climate changes and gets warmer due to human activity (from carbon emissions, which Saudi Arabia itself plays a large part in emitting), fertile land can degrade and shrink, turning into desert terrain due to drought and higher average temperatures (or due to over-farming).
This has famously happened in the “fertile crescent” – the area in the Middle East, not too far North of the Desert X Prix’s race location, where human civilization first flourished due to the region’s exceptional fertility. That fertility has waned over time due to human activity, turning formerly fertile lands into desert.
The four other race locations this season focus on issues related to their locations as well. Races are given names related to the environmental issues they plan to focus on, though further details of each race are yet to be announced:
- Hydro X Prix, May 13-14 in Scotland
- Island X Prix, July 8-9 in Sardinia
- TBC, September 16-17 in Amazon or USA (theme and location has not yet been announced, but we’ll guess it’s about forests/rainforests)
- Copper X Prix, December 2-3, Antofagasta, Chile
The series is expanding this year, with a new format that consolidates each race down to a one-day affair. In place of time trials, qualifying sessions are now five-car races of two heats each, and the top 5 combined placements go on to the finals, with positions 6-10 going on to a separate race for placement.
Since races are now one day each, this means that the format has turned each race weekend into a doubleheader, thus doubling the number of total races in the season from 5 to 10.
A few drivers have shuffled teams and some new ones have been added, the most famous of which is Heikki Kovalainen, a former Formula One driver and race winner who has since been dabbling in various rallying series. The series also sees a new team this season owned by DJ Carl Cox.
Each session includes equal participation from a team’s two drivers. In contrast to other motorsports which are almost entirely male-dominated, Extreme E requires that each team have one male and one female driver, and that they share driving duties equally over the weekend, in order to advance equality and encourage opportunities for women in motorsport.
The teams are also equal in the equipment they use, with all teams racing in the same Odyssey 21 racecar from Spark Racing Technology. The cars are the same this year at last, though the standard Continental CrossContact tires used by Extreme E now include an increased percentage (43%) of sustainable materials in their construction.
The Odyssey 21 weighs 1,650 kg (3,637 lbs) and puts out 400kW (550hp), allowing it to race to 0-100 km/h (0-62) in 4.5 seconds. But this is an off-roader, not a track car, and with its niobium-reinforced steel frame, raised suspension, and huge tires, it can conquer rough roads and gradients of up to 130% (over 52º). And that 0-62 time supposedly applies on any surface, whether it be road, sand, or gravel.
As with last season, this season starts with a race in Neom, Saudi Arabia, site of a planned city concept in the country’s Northwestern Tabuk province. While the city is not built yet, plans call for the $500 billion city project to be powered entirely by renewable energy – which probably influenced Extreme E’s choice of it as a race location. Though the plans are not without controversy.
Neom made waves this year with a… let’s say “optimistic” video describing “The Line,” a concept for a 170km-long, 500m-tall branch of the city that could house nine million people in a car-free environment.
But the course will be different than the last two years. Rather than racing through rocks and sand dunes as we’ve seen before, this race will take place in a flatter environment along the Red Sea. Extreme E has raced in similar locations before, when it went to Senegal for the Ocean X Prix in season 1.
The change from desert sand to beach sand could help mitigate one of the problems we’ve seen before in the desert, where large plumes of fine desert dust get kicked up behind cars, making it hard to follow closely which results in it being near-impossible to pass a leading vehicle. Ocean sand tends to be coarser and results in less persistent plumes, improving racing.
In keeping with the series’ message to focus on conservation efforts with each race, Extreme E participates in a “legacy program” at each race location. The intent is to leave a lasting positive impact on each local community and environment with some relevant conservation effort.
For this year’s Desert X Prix, Extreme E will assist in the release of Arabian Oryx, Red Neck Ostriches and Arabian Sand Gazelles into the 25,000 square kilometer NEOM nature reserve. These three species used to be common in the area, but went extinct or near-extinct in the wild over the last century, saved by captive breeding efforts.
Extreme E will also plant more trees in the area, expanding on its regreening efforts from last year’s legacy program.
Beyond these legacy programs, Extreme E partners with climate scientists and uses sustainable practices when holding its races. The series is net-zero carbon, but also takes other steps like avoiding single-use plastic during race weekends, transporting all of the series freight by ship, and using second-life electric bus batteries for energy storage.
These sustainable practices will hopefully bleed over into viewers through Extreme E’s “Count Us In” challenge, which encourages fans to take concrete steps towards more sustainable practices in their own lives. Fans can then pledge these steps to their favorite team for extra brownie points.
Steps include things like driving electric or cycling more, flying less, drinking tap instead of bottled water, eating more plants and speaking up at work, among many others. Each is ranked by the effort it takes and the impact it causes, with a small description of what can be done, why and how.
The last two seasons have basically been two-horse races, with teams RXR and X44, owned by former Formula 1 teammates Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton respectively, in close competition for the championship. RXR won season 1, and X44 won season two, both with extremely slim margins. But X44 has lost its star driver this year, Sebastian Loeb, who is widely considered among the best rally drivers of all time, while RXR continues with its line up of Johan Kristofferson and Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky from their second-place showing last season.
Extreme E says, however, that this will be the “closest season yet” – we’re not sure how they know this, but we’re ready to tune in and see a double dose of the wild electric off-road racing that excited us so much in the first two seasons.
To find out how and when to watch the races in your country, head on over to Extreme E’s Broadcast Information site. Final races start at 12 p.m. UTC (3 p.m. local Saudi time) on each day, which translates to 4 a.m. PST/7 a.m. EST on Saturday and 5 a.m. PDT/8 a.m. EDT on Sunday, since Daylight Saving Time starts on Sunday morning. In the US, the final race program will be aired delayed on Fox Sports 2 at 6:30PM EST on Saturday and 6PM EDT on Sunday (but check your local listings – and your clocks – due to the time change). Last season, races were available to watch after the fact on Extreme E’s website, though we don’t know yet if they’ll be available there this season as well.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Massachusetts is launching a first-of-its-kind statewide vehicle-to-everything (V2X) pilot program. This two-year initiative, backed by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), aims to deploy 100 bidirectional chargers to homes, school buses, municipal, and commercial fleet participants across the state.
These bidirectional chargers will enable EVs to serve as mobile energy storage units, collectively providing an estimated 1.5 MW of new storage capacity. That means EVs won’t just be getting power – they’ll be giving it back to the grid, helping to balance demand and support renewable energy use. The program is also focused on ensuring that low-income and disadvantaged communities have access to this cutting-edge tech.
The Massachusetts pilot is one of the largest state-led V2X initiatives in the US and is designed to tackle key challenges in deploying bidirectional charging technology. By strategically placing these chargers in a variety of settings, the program aims to identify and resolve barriers to wider adoption of V2X technology.
Massachusetts EV owners and fleet operators enrolled in the program will get bidirectional chargers capable of both vehicle-to-grid (V2G) and backup power operations at no cost. Here’s what they stand to gain:
- No-cost charging infrastructure: Bidirectional charging stations and installation are fully covered for participants.
- Grid resilience: With an estimated 1.5 MW of new flexible and distributed storage assets, the program strengthens Massachusetts’ energy infrastructure.
- Clean energy integration: V2G technology allows EVs to charge when renewable energy is available and discharge stored energy when it’s not, supporting the state’s clean energy goals.
- Backup power: EV batteries can be used as backup power sources during outages.
- Revenue opportunities: Some participants can earn money by sending stored energy back to the grid.
Clean energy solutions firm Resource Innovations and vehicle-grid integration tech company The Mobility House are leading the program’s implementation. “With the charging infrastructure provided through this program, we’re eliminating financial barriers and enabling school districts, homeowners, and fleets to access reliable backup power,” said Kelly Helfrich of Resource Innovations. “We aim to create a scalable blueprint for V2X programs nationwide.”
“Bidirectional charging benefits vehicle owners by providing backup power and revenue opportunities while strengthening the grid for the entire community,” added Russell Vare of The Mobility House North America.
The program is open for enrollment now through June 2025. For more details, visit the MassCEC V2X Program webpage. A list of eligible bidirectional vehicles can be found on that page.
Read more: Cambridge’s new solar VPPA is the largest ever by any US city
If you live in an area that has frequent natural disaster events, and are interested in making your home more resilient to power outages, consider going solar and adding a battery storage system. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Compton, California, has unveiled 25 new electric school buses – the school district’s first – and 25 Tellus 180 kW DC fast chargers.
Compton Unified School District (CUSD) in southern Los Angeles County is putting 17 Thomas Built Type A and eight Thomas Built Type C electric school buses on the road this spring. In addition to working with Thomas Built, CUSD also collaborated with electrification-as-a-service provider Highland Electric Fleet, utility Southern California Edison, and school transportation provider Durham School Services.
Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program awarded funds for the vehicles in the program’s first round. EPA also awarded CUSD funds for the third round of the program and anticipates introducing an additional 25 EV school buses in the future.
“I can’t stress enough how vital grants like these are and the need for continued support from our partners in government at the state and federal level to fund additional grants for school districts and their transportation partners that are ready to deliver and operate zero-emission buses,” said Tim Wertner, CEO of Durham School Services.
CUSD, which serves Compton and parts of the cities of Carson and Los Angeles, currently serves more than 17,000 students at 36 sites. The district has a high school graduation rate of 93% and an 88% college acceptance rate. One in 11 children in Los Angeles County have asthma, which makes the need for emissions-free school transportation that much more pressing.
Read more: Thomas Built Buses debuts its next-gen electric school bus
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
After cutting lease prices by $200 this month, the Rivian R1S is now surprisingly affordable. It may even be a better deal than the new Tesla Model Y.
Rivian cuts R1S lease prices by $200 per month
Rivian’s R1S is one of the hottest electric SUVs on the market. If you haven’t checked it out yet, you’re missing out.
With some of the best deals to date, now may be the time. Rivian lowered R1S lease prices earlier this month to just $599 for 36 months, with $8,493 due at signing (30,000 miles). The offer is for the new 2025 R1S Adventure Dual Standard, which starts at $75,900.
Before the price cut, the R1S was listed at $799 per month, with $8,694 due at signing. The electric SUV now has the same lease price as the R1T, despite costing $6,000 more.
The 2025 R1T Dual Motor starts at $69,900, essentially making it a free $6,000 upgrade. At that price, you may even want to consider it over the new Tesla Model Y.
Tesla’s new Model Y Launch Series arrived with lease prices of $699 for 36 months. With $4,393 due at signing, the effective rate is $821 per month, or just $13 less than the R1S at $834. However, the 2025 R1S costs nearly $15,000 more, with the Model Y Launch Series price at $59,990.
Rivian is also offering an “All-Electric Upgrade Offer” of up to $6,000 for those looking to trade-in their gas-powered car, but base models are not included.
| Starting Price | Range (EPA-est.) |
|
| 2025 Rivian R1S Dual Standard | $75,900 | 270 miles |
| 2026 Tesla Model Y Launch Series | $59,990 | 327 miles |
To take advantage of the Rivian R1S lease deal, you must order it before March 15 and take delivery on or before March 31, 2025.
The 2025 Rivian R1S Dual Standard Motor has an EPA-estimated range of up to 270 miles. Tesla’s new Model Y Launch Series gets up to 327 miles.
Which electric SUV would you choose? Rivian’s R1S or the new Tesla Model Y? If you’re ready to check them out for yourself, you can use our links below to find deals on the Rivian R1S and Tesla Model Y in your area.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports11 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business2 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway