
Gianluca Caruso
The Formula E Tokyo E-Prix electrified Japan’s capital, transforming the city’s streets into a high-speed showcase of electric innovation and motorsport. Marking the championship’s first-ever Tokyo night race, the world’s leading all-electric racing series delivered fierce competition, dramatic moments and unforgettable action. Yet beyond the racing, Formula E serves a greater purpose: a proving ground where competition drives innovation. Schön! alive stepped behind the scenes in Tokyo to experience the energy firsthand and discover how lessons learned on the track are shaping Porsche’s next generation of electric road cars.
Porsche arrived in Tokyo with plenty at stake and left with another major milestone. Following a dramatic double-header, the manufacturer secured its second consecutive Formula E Manufacturers’ World Championship with one round still remaining in the season. Strong performances from Porsche-powered Andretti Formula E driver Jake Dennis, who claimed second and third-place finishes across the weekend, alongside valuable points from Porsche factory driver Nico Müller, helped seal the title. With the Drivers’ Championship still to be decided, the season finale promises an exciting finish.

Gianluca Caruso
But Formula E is about far more than trophies. For Porsche, every race is an opportunity to develop technologies that eventually make their way into production vehicles. Behind the team’s success is a philosophy that places equal importance on engineering excellence and human performance. In an exclusive interview, Florian Modlinger, Director Factory Motorsport Formula E and Team Principal of the Porsche Formula E Team, explained that while software, simulation and data analysis are increasingly important, the driver remains central to performance. The strongest results come from the close collaboration between driver and engineer, combining technical analysis with instinct, experience and real-time feedback.

Gianluca Caruso
That same collaborative approach extends beyond the racetrack. By developing its own hardware and software at Weissach, Porsche maintains complete control over the technologies powering its Formula E programme, from electric powertrains and energy management to software optimisation. This close integration allows innovations developed under the extreme demands of racing to transfer directly into future road cars.
Over the past seven years, Formula E has become one of Porsche’s most valuable research and development platforms, accelerating advances in electric performance, efficiency and charging technology.
The latest Porsche Cayenne Electric is among the clearest examples of that philosophy in action. Drawing on technology refined through the championship-winning Porsche 99X Electric Formula E car, the all-electric SUV benefits from advances in thermal management, software optimisation and energy efficiency developed under race conditions.
As Modlinger explains: “In Formula E, efficiency is the difference between victory and defeat. This principle also shapes the Cayenne Electric.”
One area where that influence is immediately apparent is charging technology. Formula E and Porsche’s electric road cars share the same Combined Charging System (CCS) standard, allowing developments in charging efficiency to benefit both racing and production vehicles. The Cayenne Electric is capable of charging from 10 to 80 per cent in less than 16 minutes, helping make long-distance electric travel more practical.

Gianluca Caruso
Energy recuperation is another area where motorsport expertise translates directly to everyday driving. The Taycan Turbo GT can recuperate up to 400 kW under braking, while the upcoming Cayenne Electric pushes energy recovery even further. In normal driving, around 97 per cent of braking is handled through recuperation, capturing energy that would otherwise be lost and returning it to the battery. The result is greater efficiency, improved range and a smoother driving experience.
The connection between Porsche’s race cars and road cars is visible long before the lights go out. Since May 2024, the Taycan Turbo GT has served as Formula E’s official Safety Car. Finished in exclusive Purple Sky Metallic, it is also the most powerful production Porsche ever built.

Gianluca Caruso
For Porsche, Formula E is far more than a racing championship. The message is clear: every lap, every data point and every technological breakthrough contributes to a deeper understanding of electric performance. As the automotive industry accelerates towards an electric future, the relationship between circuit and road has never been closer and Porsche is ensuring that the innovations born in competition continue to shape the next generation of performance cars.
Learn more here.
photography. courtesy of Gianluca Caruso
words. Clara La Rosa











