Discover more

feature oliver rowland nissan season 12

Rowland: "The power the GEN4 car has is quite eye-opening."

FEATURE 10 Jun 2026 3 Mins

Reigning Formula E champion, Oliver Rowland, gets his first chance behind-the-wheel of the brand new GEN4 car.

Discover more

feature oliver rowland nissan season 12

Formula E's GEN4 era is fast approaching, with drivers and teams already preparing for this exciting new chapter in the history of the world's leading all-electric championship.

Recently, reigning World Champion, Oliver Rowland, got his first taste of what GEN4 has in store, taking to the track with the Nissan Formula E Team.

Formula E FAQs: All the GEN4 questions answered

“The power the GEN4 car has is quite eye-opening,” the Season 11 World Champion said. “A lot of that extra power comes from the front, which is pretty unique and something we need to get used to as drivers. The performance of the car is a big step up from GEN3.

“Honestly, it’s really impressive. The high downforce offers lots of grip compared to what we’re used to and there’s so many new technical options, with the differential, four-wheel drive and more power on the front axle. We’ve got almost double the power, so the acceleration is incredible and everything happens a lot faster."

In a great leap from the GEN3 Evo, the GEN4 delivers a staggering 600kW (815bhp) of peak power—a 71% increase over the previous generation. Fueled by a new 55kWh battery, the car features a dual-motor system capable of 700kW regenerative braking, recovering nearly 50% of the energy used during a race. With efficiency exceeding 97%, the GEN4 is the ultimate masterclass in high-output energy management.

The history of Formula E's race cars: GEN1-2-3 to GEN3 Evo and GEN4

Additionally, The GEN4 introduces permanent active All-Wheel Drive, delivering a record-shattering 1.8-second 0-60 mph launch.

“I got more and more familiar with the car throughout the test and got up to speed quickly," Rowland said. "Power steering is the biggest thing to get used to; I’ve not used it too often in my career. I had to learn how to feel the limit of the car through the steering, trying to optimise it in terms of performance, power and driving style.

“The power and the downforce are other key differences, the top speed is higher, as are corner speeds. A lot will depend on how we set the car up from a technical perspective, but I definitely had to drive in a slightly different way. Though, to be honest, it felt quite natural to try and extract the maximum from it.

“It’s a huge step in the right direction for Formula E. It will look impressive from the outside and all the drivers are really excited about it. I think it will give Formula E even more credibility and drivers from other categories will have even more respect for it. When we compare lap times, I’m sure we’ll see a big jump forward.”

SCHEDULE: Where, when and how to watch or stream the 2026 Sanya E-Prix, Round 11

Formula E is back in action, and the championship fight is on! This weekend, we return to Sanya for Round 11 of the 2025/26 season. It’s been seven years since Formula E has raced on this Chinese island, and with only eight drivers on the current grid having raced here before, anything can happen.

Free Practice 1: Friday 19 June, 16:30 local / 09:30 BST
Free Practice 2: Saturday 20 June, 08:30 local / 01:30 BST
Qualifying: Saturday 20 June, 10:40 local / 03:40 BST
Race: Saturday 20 June, 15:05 local / 08:05 BST

View the full schedule in your time zone and check the broadcaster listings or tap the Ways to Watch button above to find out where to watch all the racing action where you live.

Follow the race LIVE on web and in the Formula E app!

Keep across Live Timing – which includes a real-time interactive track map and the ability to follow your favourite driver during every session of every E-Prix – plus highlights, detailed session reports, exclusive interviews, all the standings and results as well as data, insight and reaction from trackside.

LIVE: Follow every lap live, with reaction and coverage at fiaformulae.com/live

Additionally, Formula E’s social media channels, website, and app will provide session reports, exclusive interviews, and behind-the-scenes insights from trackside during the five-day event.