About Extreme E

You place the highest demands on our tires, which is why Continental is up for any challenge – to push the envelope in terms of performance and safety. Our journey as a Founding Partner of Extreme E was a key milestone in Continental´s recent history, seeing a huge success for 4 seasons (2021-2024) while enjoying tracks in the most inhospitable corners of the world, sustainable off-road vehicles with a powerful electric drive, and a racing series where victory is only possible through perfect coordination between vehicle and driver.

Think an electric car is only good for city commuting? Think again. Extreme E transported us to the planet’s most remote and untamed regions. Motorsport has never been more exhilarating than when teams of professional drivers compete in extreme conditions for the ultimate prize.

Extreme E brought high-performance sports utility vehicles to the harshest road conditions imaginable, where only the most fearless drivers, aided by precisely engineered technology, can succeed.

Extreme E saw up to 10 teams, made up of one male and one female driver, competing in 10 races in 4 or 5 locations across the globe in each season (2021-2024). As a founding partner of the series, Continental provided custom-built tires to ensure perfect road grip, whether in North America, across the desert in Saudi Arabia, or on the beautiful coast of Sardinia.

Absolutely integral to the Extreme E experience is the RMS St Helena, a former Royal Mail ship which transported our intrepid competitors to four/five different race locations around the world for 4 seasons (2021-2024).

The ship was transformed and upgraded with a multimillion euro retrofit, and doubles as an operating base and floating paddock for the global expedition; it has a state-of-the-art garage plus a central hub for operations, logistics, communications, and accommodation.

Extreme E is the most extreme racing series the world has ever seen. A new race, held under such unique and challenging conditions, required a new kind of tire. 

As an Extreme E Founding Partner, we did our bit to ensure all competitors have the best possible equipment to deal with whatever trials they face. Continental carefully examined the requirements of the race series and built an ultra-high-performance tire which specifically addresses the needs of the competing teams. 

The performance optimized tires are not just built for extreme conditions, but also for the unique requirements of the competing pure electric SUVs.

Scorching heat or blistering cold; muddy, sandy or icy – no matter how extreme the conditions, the drivers and their vehicles need a reliable tire that provides grip, traction and excellent performance at every stage of the race. The Continental CrossContact LX, the basis of the tire developed for Extreme E, is a well-balanced all-season touring tire with a specially designed tread to enhance traction and stability on practically any surface.

In 2023 season, we made our CrossContact tire even more sustainable in support of Extreme E’s mission of fostering environmental consciousness. Not only is the CrossContact tire now made up for 43% recycled materials, it is also lighter than ever before, giving drivers more precision and handling.

All Extreme E participants used the same set of standardised equipment. That’s where motorsport manufacturer Spark Racing Technology came into the picture, as they created, assembled and delivered a brand-new electric SUV model for the brave pioneers of the off-road racing series.

Another critical component of the Extreme E cars was the battery. The same company which assembled the batteries and cells for the first four seasons of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, Williams Advanced Engineering, was also responsible for this essential item.