About Extreme E

You place the highest demands on our tires, which is why Continental is up for any challenge – to push the envelope in terms of performance and safety. Our next journey, as a Founding Partner of Extreme E is just around the corner. Following the huge success of the first two seasons, our unique off-road competition is about to get even better with more races and action than ever! Join us for the third edition of a race series that ventures into uncharted territory: tracks in the most inhospitable corners of the world, sustainable off-road vehicles with a powerful electric drive, and a racing series where victory is only possible through perfect coordination between vehicle and driver.

Think an electric car is only good for city commuting? Think again. The latest season of Extreme E will once again transport you to the planet’s most remote and untamed regions. Motorsport has never been more exhilarating than when teams of professional drivers compete in extreme conditions for the ultimate prize.

With the momentum of the Formula E series, where global audiences grew 20% year-on-year to 381m in 2022, there is no better time for this kind of racing event. Extreme E brings high-performance sports utility vehicles to the harshest road conditions imaginable, where only the most fearless drivers, aided by precisely engineered technology, can succeed.

Extreme E sees 10 teams, made up of one male and one female driver, compete in 10 races in 5 locations across the globe. As a founding partner of the series, Continental will once again provide custom-built tires to ensure perfect road grip, whether in South America, across the desert in Saudi Arabia, or on the beautiful coast of Sardinia.

Absolutely integral to the Extreme E experience is the RMS St Helena, a former Royal Mail ship which transports our intrepid competitors to five different race locations around the world.

The ship has been transformed and upgraded with a multimillion euro retrofit, and doubles as an operating base and floating paddock for the global expedition; it has a state-of-the-art garage plus a central hub for operations, logistics, communications, and accommodation.

So where will the Extreme E adventure lead us, and what challenging conditions will the drivers face?

Extreme E is the most extreme racing series the world has ever seen. A new race, held under such unique and challenging conditions, required a new kind of tire. 

As an Extreme E Founding Partner, we’re doing our bit to ensure all competitors have the best possible equipment to deal with whatever trials they face. Continental carefully examined the requirements of the race series and built an ultra-high-performance tire which specifically addresses the needs of the competing teams. 

The performance optimized tires are not just built for extreme conditions, but also for the unique requirements of the competing pure electric SUVs.

Scorching heat or blistering cold; muddy, sandy or icy – no matter how extreme the conditions, the drivers and their vehicles need a reliable tire that provides grip, traction and excellent performance at every stage of the race. The Continental CrossContact LX, the basis of the tire developed for Extreme E, is a well-balanced all-season touring tire with a specially designed tread to enhance traction and stability on practically any surface.

For Season 3, we’ve made our CrossContact tire even more sustainable in support of Extreme E’s mission of fostering environmental consciousness. Not only is the CrossContact tire now made up for 43% recycled materials, it is also lighter than ever before, giving drivers more precision and handling!

All Extreme E participants use the same set of standardised equipment. That’s where motorsport manufacturer Spark Racing Technology comes into the picture; they will create, assemble and deliver a brand-new electric SUV model for the brave pioneers of the off-road racing series.

Another critical component of the Extreme E cars will be the battery. The same company which assembled the batteries and cells for the first four seasons of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, Williams Advanced Engineering, is responsible for this essential item.

Extreme E´s all electric SUV, called Odyssey 21, is equipped for races under the harshest conditions. Discover the impressive car.

Extreme E is a global racing championship that sees all-electric SUVs battle head-to-head in some of the world’s most extreme environments. Returning for Season 3 in March, Extreme E is back with more action than ever with a brand-new format.

Unlike in Seasons 1 and 2, where each location hosted one race event over the course of a weekend, the new format includes two separate race events – one on Saturday and one on Sunday – meaning double the chance for wins, podiums and all-important points.

Each day will host a complete race event, from Qualifying through to the Grand Final. A race event starts on Saturday with two rounds of Qualifying, both consisting of two heats with five cars each. The top five teams progress to the Grand Final for a shot at reaching the podium, while the remaining five teams can still claim valuable Championship points in the Redemption Race.

The best part of all? The format repeats on Sunday, so all teams get another chance at glory!