Lotus Engineering and Jenson Button Extreme E Racing (JBXE) have announced a partnership for the upcoming season of Extreme E racing. The series pits aggressive, electric off-roaders against one another in a five-round season. To help it compete, JBXE will be receiving technical support from Lotus Engineering, which will also sponsor the team.
Although all the teams racing will be
provided with the same vehicle, the Spark Odyssey 21, teams will have to set up
and test their cars as in any spec series. The SUV is made by the same
manufacturer that builds Formula E’s cars.
The Spark Odyssey 21 was designed from the
ground up for the Extreme E championship. It’s built on a tubular
niobium-reinforced steel frame while its batteries are supplied by Williams
Advanced Engineering. They power 550 hp worth of electric motors that can get
the SUV to 60 mph in just 4.5 seconds. Jenson Button will race alongside
teammate Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky, a multiple Scandinavian Touring Car race
winner. Their first race will take place on April 3 and 4 at Wadi Rum, Alula,
in the Saudi Arabian desert.
