Conti and Extreme E prepare for the first season of the racing series

The new Extreme E racing series is slated to launch in early 2021 and Continental AG will be a founding partner and exclusive supplier of tires for electric SUV racing.

The series, which includes five races on four continents, is founded by Alejandro Agag. Extreme E aims to highlight the role of electric vehicles in protecting the environment. As the exclusive tire supplier for the series, Continental will play a key role in the series, Alejandro Agag said.

“Tires are always very important in any racing championship, and even more so for a series like the Extreme E, where we will compete in a variety of conditions - from rocky and sandy tracks to grass, snow and ice,” he explained.

According to the founder of Extreme E, the series will be very difficult for a tire that has to withstand all the loads.

“We need tires that will not let us down and allow the cars to show their true performance,” said Alejandro Agag. "That's why we chose Continental."

According to Continental, the company's engineers have created a racing tire based on the CrossContact model that can operate "anywhere and in any condition." According to Conti, the development of racing tires was “the biggest challenge” for the company's engineers, as the tires for the series must withstand extreme acceleration, harsh braking maneuvers, high speeds, including tight corners, skidding and even jumping. The tires will be fitted to the Odyssey 21, a racing electric SUV developed by Spark Racing Technology and equipped with a 558-horsepower electric motor that can accelerate a 1,650-kilogram car from zero to 100 km / h in 4.5 seconds. In addition, according to the creators of the Odyssey 21, this powerful electric vehicle is capable of driving on slopes of 130%.