E1 releases sustainability report on its inaugural season and sets the benchmark for the future

The UIM E1 World Championship presented by PIF, the world’s first all-electric raceboat championship, has released its first-ever sustainability report following its debut season in 2024.

The pioneering Championship is driven by its commitment to developing future marine clean technology, advocating for the protection of marine ecosystems, and providing a level sporting platform for equal numbers of male and female pilots. The report marks an important step in realising E1’s long-term sustainability ambitions.

The star-powered racing series, which is backed by some of the world’s biggest celebrities including Will Smith, LeBron James and Rafael Nadal, aims to accelerate awareness of environmental challenges and reports on its sustainability – including its social commitments.

Highlights from E1’s inaugural season include:

Environment:

●     The Blue Impact Programme is E1’s commitment to ensuring that aquatic resources thrive for current and future generations. The Programme is a comprehensive framework of initiatives to raise awareness of the threats posed to marine ecosystems and to deliver restorative and regenerative solutions to fight those threats.

●     The Championship has been designed to have the smallest possible carbon footprint. The 2024 season carbon footprint assessment has been carried out using the WRI GHG Protocol Corporate accounting and reporting standard and is in line with ISO 14064-1 guidance.

●     E1’s offsetting campaign has enabled the championship to compensate 1,534 of the 1,672 tonnes (92%) of CO2e emissions generated by operations in 2024, enabling E1 to obtain PAS 2060:2014 certification for contribution to global carbon neutrality.

●     E1 is committed to minimising its impact on racing waters with a dedicated mitigation strategy for every race. To protect marine mammals and megafauna, E1 conducts in-depth impact analyses and implements measures such as racecourse planning to avoid important migratory or feeding areas, pre-event area sweeps, spotter protocols, spectator fleet management, and the implementation of a dedicated animal response boat.

Social

●     The E1 Pilot Academy is a pathway that gives ambitious racers the rare opportunity to be part of the electric revolution of motorsport. The structured training programme equips contenders with essential skills and knowledge on safety, media and fitness training, as well as hands-on experience piloting various types of boats. In 2024, the cohort consisted of 40 individuals from 14 countries. Fifteen females (11 with no powerboat experience) and 25 males (11 with no powerboat experience).

●     E1 stands for gender equality and designs the Championship to increase women’s representation in sport in a traditionally male-dominated field. Each team selects one male and one female pilot, fostering equal opportunity and promoting diversity in the next generation of RaceBird pilots.

●     E1 works with academic institutions in its relevant locations around the world to promote academic and professional opportunities in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM)-based fields. We interact with students of all age ranges to showcase how design, innovation and sports merge to form the E1 mission.

●     In October, E1 participated in the 97th UIM General Assembly, which brought together representatives from all associated powerboat sports to review the racing season. E1 is proud to have earned recognition among the UIM community as a best-in-class example of environmental and social impact.

Rodi Basso, co-founder and CEO at E1, said: “As the innovators of the world’s first all-electric raceboat series, we shoulder a responsibility to act as custodians of our oceans and accelerate change in the technological advancement of marine transport. These aims are firmly anchored in our DNA and this report affirms our commitment to action.

“This is just the outset of the journey in our race for the planet. But I feel incredibly buoyed by the clear opportunity to make sustained impact outlined in the report.”

Professor Carlos M. Duarte, Chief Scientist at E1, said: “I am proud to see the progress in delivering a sustainability strategy that transcends the traditional boundaries of corporate sustainability to reflect a commitment with nature-positive impacts.

 “As the Championship’s first report, it was to a large extent a learning experience, we provide here tangible evidence of the potential to deliver significant, global scale impact on our race to improve the health status of aquatic ecosystems and mobilise our audience and fan base with that goal.”