The objective of the FIA Formula E Championship is to promote sustainable mobility and the use of advanced emission-free electric vehicles, especially in cities.
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As motorsport Grand Prix have been forbidden in Switzerland for decades, in 2014 the Swiss National Councillor Fathi Derder put forward a motion to exempt electric races from this ban in order to actively support the development of sustainable technologies.
The motion was subsequently backed by the Federal Council, the National Council and now by the Council of States. This decision of the parliament paves the way for a possible Swiss ePrix already during the 2016/2017 season.
Prior to today's decision, the two Swiss sponsors of the FIA Formula E, Julius Baer, exclusive Global Partner of the FIA Formula E Championship, and TAG Heuer, founding partner and official timekeeper of the world's first fully-electric racing series, had organised an extraordinary drive through downtown Geneva to bring a Formula E car to the streets of Switzerland for the first time.
On this occasion, the car was filmed for a video promoting a Swiss ePrix – among others showing former Formula 1 driver and current Formula E driver Nick Heidfeld who has lived in Switzerland for years and supports this initiative.
"As exclusive Global Partner of Formula E and Swiss company, we are excited about the decision of the Council of States and thank the Swiss parliament, the Federal Council and Fathi Derder for this historic move.
"Julius Baer strongly supports the efforts of Formula E to advance the development of emission-free technologies and mobility to enable a more sustainable future, which is in line with our own Next Generation activities. We are convinced that Switzerland as one of the most innovative economies worldwide is an ideal host for an electric race.
"A Swiss ePrix would be a fantastic showcase for sustainable technologies," comments Boris F.J. Collardi, Chief Executive Officer of Julius Baer.
"We are very happy to get the opportunity to bring Formula E to Switzerland and would like to thank our Swiss partners, Bank Julius Baer and TAG Heuer, for their forceful support. Now we will work on the details of the race, including the selection of the city which will host it, with the goal to make it possible during the 2016/17 season," says Alejandro Agag, CEO of Formula E Holdings.
The popular success of this season's inaugural FIA Formula E Championship with races in Beijing, Putrajaya, Punta del Este, Buenos Aires, Miami and those coming soon in Los Angeles, Monaco, Berlin, Moscow and London, proves the championship's capacity to create a strong vision of emission-free transport.
With the additional initiatives of FIA Formula E, the FE School Series and the integration of the ‘Formula Student', they aim to inspire young people to embrace sustainable mobility and engineering. ■