Las Vegas: A new kind of race car is making its debut with cartoonishly loud revving, the smell of burning rubber, and not a trace of exhaust.
That's because the new FIA Formula E Championship car is all electric. The championship is the first series exclusively for electric cars.
Organizers gave racing aficionados their first glimpse of the car in action Monday at a makeshift racetrack outside the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino on the Las Vegas strip.
Brazilian driver Lucas di Grassi showed off the capabilities of the Spark-Renault SRT--01E Formula E car, pulling off tight turns, breathtaking accelerations and sudden stops. The car, designed by Spark Racing Technologies, can reach more than 150 mph (240 kph).
"We are a championship on a mission, and the mission is to have more electric cars on the streets all around the world," said Formula E CEO Alejandro Agag. "People love motorsport, but now they also care very much about the environment. So together, it's a great combination."
