Extreme E, the electric off-road racing series, is counting down to the thrilling finale of its second season, the Uruguay Natural Energy X Prix, in just one month’s time (26-27 November) in Punta del Este, Uruguay.
Current leaders Rosberg X Racing (RXR) have won two out of four X Prix races this season in their bid to secure back-to-back Extreme E championships. Nico Rosberg’s team have 83 points, 17 more than nearest challengers and title rivals from 2021, X44 Vida Carbon Racing.
Lewis Hamilton’s team were victors last time out in Chile and have the momentum, where they will be bidding to go one better than their runners-up finish from Season 1.
In third and fourth sit ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team (60 points) and No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing (55 points), respectively, who will be doing all they can to reel in RXR to claim their first-ever Extreme E title.
Alejandro Agag, Founder and CEO of Extreme E, said: “We are delighted to be heading to Punta del Este, for the final X Prix of Season 2.
“The Uruguay Natural Energy X Prix promises to be a spectacular event, especially as we have such a close battle for the lead with four teams still in the running to win the championship, we are confident that it will be one of our most thrilling rounds yet.
“Punta del Este marks a stunning location to complete our second Extreme E season, and its commitments towards sustainable solutions and the energy transition is not only commendable, but a benchmark for the rest of the world. We are excited to be racing in one of the most proactive countries in their commitment to combating the climate crisis.”
Carlos Sainz Snr., ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team, said: “It is always interesting to race in a country for the first time, especially when it is in a place like Uruguay, where I have some good friends and the fans are passionate about our sport. It is the big season finale, the Energy X-Prix. It will also be Extreme E’s first visit to the country, which makes it even more exciting.
“I am eager to discover what challenges wait for us in Punta del Este. We have been pushing all season long, but in Uruguay we will double our efforts because we still have a slim shot at the Championship. Hopefully it will be a good show for the fans.”
Uruguay is a country which embodies the principles of Extreme E in its commitments to renewable energy and electrification. Renewable energy production and use is as crucial to the series as it is to Uruguay. In terms of electricity generation, Uruguay is one of the leading countries in renewable energy production.
The country currently generates over 98 per cent of all electricity from renewable sources, primarily wind and hydropower. Moreover, Uruguay is one of the most electrified countries in the hemisphere, with 99.9 per cent of homes connected to the electric grid.
Since its inception, Extreme E has been a pioneer in using renewable energy sources to charge its electric racing vehicles, using green hydrogen and fuel cell technology for zero emission racing. In Punta del Este, a first-time trial of wind turbines, second life batteries and solar power aims to create the championship’s first fully renewable energy powered event site.
During the last X Prix in Chile’s Atacama Desert, a new 14-day record was set for the number of days the site was powered by solar power. In Uruguay, the goal is to go one step further and take the whole event off grid power, as the event team trials the use of wind turbines for the first time. The trial is part of Extreme E’s goal to becoming powered by fully renewable sources at each race.
Professor Richard Washington, Professor of Climate Science at the University of Oxford and Head of Extreme E’s Scientific Committee, explains: “The key to tackling the climate crisis is to end our reliance on energy generated from fossil fuels – the main cause of climate change. There are many examples of clean, renewable solutions available to us, like electric vehicles, green hydrogen, wind and solar power, and as a global community, we need to take a proactive approach in shifting to these technologies, at scale, and at speed.
“Extreme E’s Uruguay Natural Energy X Prix will showcase how Uruguay as a country is take a world-leading commitment in its efforts to switch to renewables, setting a benchmark for how these lessons can be adopted. It is fantastic to see sports like Extreme E adopting crucial, purpose driven messaging into its mission and I’m pleased to support the series with these efforts.”
After last year’s dramatic ending to the inaugural Extreme E season, the finale to the 2022 campaign promises to be just as climatic. The countdown is on to the Season 2 finale event, as the Championship looks forward to heading to Punta del Este for a showdown in just under a month’s time.
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