Bid for FE in NZ

Start sequence, BMW i Berlin E-Prix 2017/18 - Credit: LAT/Formula E

Electric dream: consortium still pushing to bring Formula E to Auckland

A consortium including ASB Classic tennis tournament director Karl Budge is angling to bring "Formula E" racing to Auckland.

He and consortium partner Craig Cotton (head of the NZ Innovation Council) commissioned a study by SMG YouGov that says the race would bring in $150m a year.

Why It's Important

Budge and Cotton say it's not just about the thrill of motorsport. The pair argue Formula E racing in New Zealand would help spur clean energy research and electric vehicle adoption as the government targets a carbon neutral economy by 2050.

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Daniel Abt (Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler), BMW i Berlin E-Prix 2017/18 - Credit: LAT/Formula E

• Formula E was founded in 2014 and features teams backed by Audi, BMW, Citröen, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Porsche, ABB, DHL, Bosch and Michelin, among others.
• The ABB FIA Formula E Championship, as it's officially known, is sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, the same body that governs Formula 1 and the World Rally Champions.
• Race venues in the current Formula E calendar include the likes of New York, Paris, Rome, Hong Kong, Berlin, Mexico City and Santiago.
• Formula E already has a strong Kiwi flavour, with New Zealand's Mitch Evans one of the drivers for the factory Jaguar team, and a variety of Kiwi-developed technology featured in the championship.

Start sequence, Qatar Airways Paris E-Prix 2017/18 - Credit: LAT/Formula E