Bigger cars and bigger grids expected for Formula E's GEN4 era

If there’s anything that Formula E racing in Monaco has proved, it’s that the principality can still hold a competitive top-level motor race if the cars are the right size.

The continued growth of grand prix cars over the last few decades have rendered many a Monaco Grand Prix a procession, while Formula E’s four races of its GEN3 era – which the cars are around 63 cm shorter and 30 cm narrower than current F1 cars – have delivered 116 overtakes in Season 9, 197 in Season 10, and 194 and 167 in the two races held there this season, the second of which was hindered by rain.

But with the GEN4 car arriving the season after next, could Formula E fall the same way as F1? The upcoming cars are expected to be bigger – while F1 is going smaller again from 2026 – but CEO Jeff Dodds insists that it would be cause for concern.

“We have quite a lot of space between the size of our car today and the ‘26 reg Formula 1 car,” he said. “So I think our car can get bigger than the current car without going anywhere near the risk.”

And while a modest increase in size is on the way with GEN4 – with paddock whispers suggesting it will look more like a conventional single-seater racing car this time around compared to the more sci-fi looks of GEN2 and GEN3 – Dodds says that Formula E has no intention of taking that even further.

“We're not interested in making a car the same size as a Formula 1 car today,”he said. “I think our car will have a more impressive footprint, it will look more aggressive on track, but it isn't getting to the same scale that causes the challenges in Formula 1.”

Five of the six current Formula E manufacturers have publicly confirmed their intentions to race in GEN4, with Mahindra yet to fully commit, while Stellantis – whose brands DS and Maserati are currently represented – is yet to finalize what brand or brands it will race with in the new ruleset. That number could expand, with series co-founder and chief championship officer Alberto Longo revealing that two manufacturers are eyeing up entries.

“We have five manufacturers in the championship, dealing with another two that potentially could get into GEN4 as well,” he said. “So we are very healthy.”

Continuing, Longo said that the addition of teams as customer operations is also being touted, with him predicting that the next generation of car could see the series hit its maximum capacity of 24 cars on the grid.

“Obviously, we have a limitation in terms of participants in a race, which is 24 that means 12 teams,” he said. “But I believe that in GEN4, we're going to get to that magic figure.”

While Formula E has made no secret of its desire to grow in America, Longo revealed that while there has been some interest from American manufacturers in joining Formula E, the biggest interest has come from China.

“I would say I feel there is more traction on Chinese manufacturers today to join Formula than American manufacturers,” he said. “That doesn't mean that we have some certain level of appetite from the U.S. as well, but China is amazing, they're leading the world on electromobility today, that's a fact. So it makes sense for them to use Formula E as their platform to showcase their technology.”