×
15% OFF All Season Tyres
T&C's apply
choose our fully fitted service
2,200+ local fitting partners
 
Tyres / Tyre NewsEV Tyre News / Hankook Formula E World Records

Hankook boosts Formula E’s speed into the Guinness World Records

Hankook Formula E
Hankook tyres

British Formula E driver Jake Hughes has made history by setting a new indoor land speed record in a GEN3 car. Hughes, piloting the new electric formula race car GenBeta, reached 218kmh — 135.9mph — on Hankook’s iON Race development tyre.

Racing at the London E-Prix Circuit on the .176 mile straight, the NEOM McLaren driver drove head-to-head with Lucas di Grassi (Mahindra Racing). Both drivers left the previous record, of 102.7 mph (165.2 kph), in the dust on all three of their practice runs and Hughes’ official attempt bested it by 33mph.

Making it official

An adjudicator from the Guinness World Records witnessed the final attempt to confirm the time and procedure: Both drivers started from standstill, maxed their speeds, and then had to come to a complete stop. The speed was clocked five metres before the drivers reached the breaking zone.

Those familiar with the London E-Prix circuit will know this meant taking a 130-degree turn at 25mph before driving all out on the straight and drove all out they did.

GenBeta on the London E-Prix circuit
British Formula E driver Jake Hughes sets a new indoor land speed recordImage credit: Alastair Staley/LAT

Need new electric vehicle tyres?

Enter your registration and postcode and we’ll show you the best tyres for your EV

and
Or enter tyre size

Faster and more powerful: the GenBeta

It helps that they were driving the superstar offspring – the GenBeta – of the world’s fastest and most efficient electric racing car, the GEN3. The GEN 3 was designed to showcase that performance and sustainability can harmonise without compromise. It’s already estimated to have reached a top speed of 322 kph, so it’s no surprise its wonderkid was the vehicle for the record-breaking achievement.

GEN3 from the rear angle
The Gen3 was developed by engineers and sustainability experts at the FIA and Formula EImage credit: FIA Formula E

The GenBeta is a prototype modified by Formula E partners including Hankook and SABIC. SABIC focuses on diversified chemicals and aims to bring new materials and technology to EV racing.

Among the many upgrades, the GenBeta has a magnified 400kW power output from a Formula E-first of all-wheel drive, which offers more traction through acceleration. Other improvements to reduce draft and improve speed include sustainable, mechanically recycled thermoplastic wheel fins, a bio-renewable, low-carbon based wind deflector, and 3D-printed front wing endplates which also improves the car’s downforce.

Softer tyre compound helps steal the record

Hankook is an official tyre partner off the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship and instrumental to the record-breaking speed. Its iON tyres are exclusively developed for high-performance electric vehicles to meet their specifications. For GenBeta’s run at the record books, Hankook adapted the iON Race development tyre. As Hankook Motorsport Director Manfied Sanbichler notes the “the modified compound allowed the tyre to develop a lot of grip very quickly, which was one of the keys to this success” and helped it achieve the optimal working temperature even quicker than with the model used in the Formula E world championship.

While you won’t be hurtling down the road at 102mph, getting the right tyres for your vehicle can make all the difference when it comes to efficiency and safety. Will you be upgrading soon?

Hero Image: Simon Galloway/LAT.

Want exclusive motoring news?

Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest EV, Performance, SUV & 4x4 content

Join our mailing listSign up
Back to EV tyres

Join the conversation

We love to hear from our customers. Connect with us today and let’s start a conversation.

Enter tyre size
×
How to find your tyre size
Postcode
Back
PayPal
Representative Example: Purchase rate: 23.9% p.a. (variable). Representative: 23.9% APR (variable). Assumed Credit Limit: £1,200

PayPal Credit and PayPal Pay in 3 are trading names of PayPal UK Ltd, Whittaker House, Whittaker Avenue, Richmond-Upon-Thames, Surrey, United Kingdom, TW9 1EH. Terms and conditions apply. Credit subject to status and approval, 18+ UK residents only. PayPal Credit and PayPal Pay in 3 are a form of credit, so carefully consider whether the purchase is affordable and how you will make the repayments. PayPal Pay in 3 is not regulated by the FCA. See product terms for more details and FAQs. Learn more about PayPal Credit.  Learn more about PayPal Pay in 3.