Carbon footprint Analysis conducted by EvoMarkets, found that Season 4 of Extreme E generated a total of 4,618 tCO₂e. While direct comparisons to previous seasons are limited due to Season 4’s shortened schedule, the data has been instrumental in informing long-term carbon reduction strategies ahead of Extreme H’s debut.
Freight logistics have historically accounted for 85 to 90% of the championship’s total emissions. In response, and as part of its evolving sustainability strategy, organisers made the decision to sell the RMS St Helena. Going forward, the series will transition to lower-carbon transport solutions, including commercial shipping and rail freight, as successfully demonstrated at the Hydro X Prix in Scotland. While the vessel was essential to the series’ formative years, Extreme H’s future logistics model reflects a shift towards more efficient, scalable, and climate-conscious operations.
The report also revisits the progress of two of Extreme E’s Legacy Programmes, initiatives designed to leave a positive, long-lasting impact on communities and ecosystems long after the racing ends. Through the use of the Outcome Measurement Framework developed in partnership with EY and their independent evaluation, data reveals significantly positive long-term outcomes as a direct result of Extreme E’s support. Each initiative’s measurements for success are aligned with targeted United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), helping teams, partners, and host communities monitor the impact over time.
In Uruguay, where the championship supported the Organisation for Cetacean Conservation (OCC), a landmark achievement was recently celebrated, with Isla de Lobos and surrounding waters being officially designated as a National Protected Area for marine species. This was achieved in part by educational outreach to over 10,000 individuals that the organisation has carried out since Extreme E’s visit in 2022, as part of its strategy to empower communities to advocate for ocean species.
Another highlight includes supporting the Nith District Salmon Fishery Board in Scotland to restore a critical habitat for Atlantic salmon, through the planting of 3,140 native hardwood trees, resulting in a 10% reduction in water temperature in the Crawick river. The board also created a ‘living lab’ plant nursery, allowing them to propagate their own seedlings whilst serving as a living classroom to support education initiatives.
To help deliver impactful Legacy Programmes, the championship also provides a unique testing ground for innovative partners to test their technologies, off the race track. Extreme E worked with its Official Technology Communications Partner, Vodafone Business, to deploy Internet of Things (IoT) hydrosensor solutions to help monitor water quality and temperature levels within the river.
Prof. Richard Washington, Head of Extreme E’s Scientific Committee and Professor of Climate Science at the University of Oxford, said: “As a climate scientist, establishing the fundamentals of climate change has been the easy part of my career. But cultural shifts, of the sort we urgently need to make as a society to leave our carbon dependency behind, are very much harder to achieve.
“This report bears testimony to the many facets of effort that are required in that process of promoting the cultural shift. They include Extreme E’s role as a podium for advocacy, the embedded drive to fast-track innovation, and a sheer persistence to strive for success.”
Extreme E remains a signatory of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Sports for Climate Action Framework and the IUCN Sports for Nature Framework, and continues to champion sustainability across the wider motorsport industry through pioneering energy solutions, inclusive sporting formats, and science-based environmental action.
As Extreme E prepares to commence racing as Extreme H, the world’s first hydrogen racing championship kicking off later in 2025, the championship continues to prove that sport is a powerful platform for implementing real-world solutions that accelerate the journey to net zero.
Full report here: Season 4 Sustainability Report
