Formula E racing arrives in Beijing

Ken Allen, chief executive officer of DHL Express speaks during a news conference. [Provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The FIA Formula E Championship kicks-off Saturday with its first stop in Beijing. To get the race going, foreign and domestic companies have stepped up to the plate to deliver, charge and support the race.

The championship race, the first of its kind, is a new FIA (International Automobile Federation) global motor racing contest that uses electric cars.

The world's leading logistics provider Deutsche Post DHL announced on Thursday the successful delivery of 41 electric racing cars and related equipment to Beijing for the Saturday's race.

Alejandro Agag, chief executive officer of Formula E Holdings, said the delivery of batteries for the electronic racing cars is a big challenge, due to the safety issues during transport and high costs of those batteries themselves.

Each electric race car battery costs about 100,000 euros ($132,030), Agag said.

DHL has been focusing on "green logistics". The firm is trying to cut carbon emissions along its whole delivery chain.

According to Ken Allen, chief executive officer of DHL Express, the company aims to cut carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2020.

"Formula E has created a sport that pushes the boundaries of technology and which will inspire and educate people throughout the world to embrace sustainable technologies and practices," Allen said.

Allen said the electric mobile will become the future and it will create huge market potential as governments, companies and society gradually pay increasing importance to environmental protection and sustainability.

"DHL will get prepared for that future by providing better logistics plan for batteries and solving other technical challenges," he said.

In addition to DHL, the Formula E also attracted France based EDF Group, to provide technology support during the race.

According to EDF, an official technical supplier of FIA, it will send two experts from its R&D team to Beijing to follow the race and conduct electrical safety audits, transmission checks and other related support procedures.

Chinese clean energy producer Hanergy Group will provide a solar power speed-charging system for the championship.

The Formula E championship will include multiple races spanning nine difference cities around the world over a 10 month period. Beijing is the host city for the first race.