Extreme E, the sport for purpose electric off-road racing series, has confirmed that its Season 1 finale, ‘the Jurassic X Prix’ will take place in Bovington, in the UK’s South Coast county of Dorset, on 18-19 December 2021.
Alejandro Agag, Extreme E Founder and CEO, said: “I’m very excited by this race location – our first event on UK soil. This move is a poignant shift in our mission to race in remote, far-away places to highlight the effects of climate change, as more increasingly, the issues we talk about are literally happening in our backyards so it felt like the right time to bring the spotlight home, and help the army reduce its own carbon footprint.
“The world needs to move forward when it comes to the combustion engine and many other practices, and what better way to symbolize that than with a Jurassic themed X Prix. Unless we push forward with climate and sustainability action, certain species risk becoming extinct, and that is something we simply cannot ignore any longer.”
Bovington is a well-known British Army military base and sits just off the Jurassic Coastline. Extreme E is working closely with the British Ministry of Defence and Army which has recently revealed its climate change and sustainability strategy. The strategy combines the mitigation of environmental impact whilst maintaining military output. It aims to do this by reducing emissions and scaling up the transition to renewables, thus contributing to the UK’s aim to be net zero by 2050. Efforts have started already with the Army piloting electric armored vehicles and carbon efficient accommodation.
Major General Simon Hutchings OBE said: “The British Army prides itself on its ability to conduct operations in all environments, adapting and developing its skills as required. The opportunity to work alongside Extreme E who are world leaders in the electrification of vehicles and sustainable energy production is very exciting. It will enable us to share innovative ideas which will allow the Army to continue to gain technology advantage globally, whilst also contributing to our climate and sustainability targets.”
The racing will be over a course designed to include natural obstacles putting the all-electric ODYSSEY 21 through its paces to crown the eventual winning combination of car, team and driver. Each team fields both a male and female driver who will complete a lap each with a Driver Switch built into the format.
Jenson Button, JBXE Team Principal said: “It is brilliant news that Extreme E’s Season finale will be held in the UK. I’ve been lucky enough to race on UK soil a number of times throughout my career and those memories will always be incredibly special to me.
“Heading off-road at Bovington will be a totally different experience but equally as special as I’ll be the one watching and supporting Kevin and Mikaela and the rest of the JBXE team as we push for a strong finish to the season. After back-to-back podiums, if we can carry that form into Sardinia and put ourselves in the mix for the final race then we could be in store for an amazing finish!”
Extreme E is a partner to the UN’s Race to Zero campaign as well as Count Us In, which challenges its fans to take steps which reduce their own carbon footprints. These collaborations are all focused on tackling the global climate crisis and with road transport currently accounting for 75 per cent of the global emissions associated with transportation, accelerating the move to clean mobility by 2030, in line with government goals, is key to success.
Nigel Topping, UK High Level Champion for Climate Action at COP26, who also leads Race to Zero, said: “Extreme E provides an incredible platform for accelerating the clean mobility transition and driving awareness for the climate solutions we can, and must all adopt.
“The Jurassic X Prix follows COP26 and provides further opportunity for the UK to keep crucial momentum, which is imperative if we are to succeed in our goal to limit global temperature rise to 1.5C. The shift to zero emission vehicles will hugely help reach that goal and Extreme E demonstrates the capabilities of electric vehicles, but also their associated technologies. It also uses the powerful platform of sport to engage its fanbase to take steps to reduce their own carbon footprint.”
