Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cars
  3. News

Audi e-tron FE04 electric race car represents a new era for the automaker

By
Add as a preferred source on Google

It’s a brave new world for Audi. The German automaker has moved on from the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans and plans to throw the majority of its motor-sports resources into the Formula E series for electric cars. The shift mirrors Audi’s effort to put more electric cars in showrooms.

The upcoming Formula E season will be the first one in which Audi will run its own team. Whereas Audi previously partnered with the independent Abt Schaeffler team, it will now race under its own banner. Its weapon will be an updated electric race car called the Audi e-tron FE04.

Recommended Videos

Aside from a new livery, the FE04 looks identical to last season’s Formula E car. That’s because teams are still required to use the same Spark-Renault SRT 01e chassis, and can’t make any changes to the bodywork. Under the skin, though, Audi says the powertrain is all new, including a one-speed transmission meant to improve efficiency. In addition to turning quick lap times, Formula E drivers must meet certain efficiency targets, and make the most of the charge in their cars’ battery packs.

Audi will keep the drivers from the Abt Schaeffler team. Lucas di Grassi is the reigning Formula E champion, so he gets to put the number “1” on his car. Teammate Daniel Abt will race car number 66. Like Formula One, Formula E has championships for both drivers and teams. While di Grassi won the driver championship last season, the Audi-backed Abt Schaeffler team was beaten by Renault E.Dams in the manufacturer contest. Audi has a score to settle this season.

Proving that it is serious about Formula E, Audi also brought in Allan McNish as team principal. The Scotsman’s long resume includes stints in Formula One and sports-car racing, with three Le Mans wins.

The upcoming season will be Formula E’s fourth, and it kicks off December 2 with a pair of races in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, Audi is expected to launch its first mass-market electric vehicle — the e-tron SUV — next year. It will be the first of 20 new electric cars and plug-in hybrids Audi plans to place in showrooms by 2025.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen Edelstein
Former Contributing Editor
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Topics
Volkswagen is bringing back the electric ID.Buzz bus with some cool upgrades for 2027
Until pricing and range are addressed, the upgrades feel like progress on everything except the things that actually held buyers back.
VW ID.Buzz exterior.

Volkswagen skipped the 2026 model year for the ID.Buzz entirely, a move that raised eyebrows and triggered the predictable “is the electric bus dead?” conversation. Well, it isn’t dead after all. The automaker has officially confirmed the 2027 ID.Buzz.

It’s arriving with the kind of updates that suggest Volkswagen actually listened to what early owners and reviewers were saying. The headline addition is the Tourer 4Motion, a new trim that turns the electric bus into a legitimate electric camper. 

Read more
After acing range and charging, Chinese EV brands flaunt three-wheel driving on SUVs
BYD, Aito, and Li Auto are making active suspension the new battleground after range and charging
Machine, Wheel, Transportation

Chinese EV brands have spent years trying to win on range, charging speed, and screens. Now the fight is getting stranger, with premium SUVs showing off three-wheel driving as the next battleground.

According to Car News China, BYD’s Denza B8 Flash Charge Edition, Huawei-backed Aito M9, and Li Auto L9 are all being used to show how active suspension can lift a wheel while the vehicle keeps moving at low speed. The demos look theatrical, and the intended uses are practical, including tire changes, off-road recovery, and crossing uneven ground without getting stuck.

Read more
This Android Auto update is trying to change how you drive and use your car
Road, Electronics, Credit Card

I use Android Auto every day, and at this point, it feels like a quiet co-driver sitting on my dashboard. That’s exactly why this upcoming refresh from Google actually matters. It is not just a visual tweak; it is a proper overhaul of how Android Auto should feel inside a modern car. The biggest change is the design. Google is bringing its Material 3 Expressive design language from phones into cars. That means Android Auto is getting a more modern, more fluid look with expressive fonts, smoother animations, and even support for wallpapers. This should really make the entire interface feel less rigid and more alive while you are driving.

Widgets finally make Android Auto feel useful at a glance

Read more