Formula E’s ‘Mountain Recharge’ demonstrates breakthrough in regenerative braking technology

Partnering with Google Cloud

Formula E is redefining the boundaries of electric performance, innovation, and partner integration with its latest  Genbeta project, ‘Mountain Recharge’.

In a daring demonstration in collaboration with Google Cloud, Formula E’s  Genbeta prototype development race car descended 1,000 vertical metres down a French alpine road in ‘free-wheel mode’ and, through regenerative braking alone, amassed enough energy to complete a full lap of the legendary Circuit de Monaco.

Shot and produced by Red Bull Media House in partnership with Google Cloud marketing, the project showcased the car’s performance and agility down the technical mountain road from the Col de Braus summit and the  Genbeta car’s cutting-edge regenerative performance.

Starting with only enough energy to power on the car, the daring descent was carried out by Formula E test driver and former Maserati MSG Racing Team Principal, James Rossiter.

The car can recuperate 600 kw of energy in race mode (250 kw front power unit + 350 kw rear power unit), proving that slowing down can be as powerful as speeding up.

To make Mountain Recharge a reality, Formula E collaborated with its Official Cloud Technology Services Partner and Official Cloud Security Partner, Google Cloud, with support from its  Genbeta partners ABB, Hankook, and Sabic.

Using Google Cloud’s AI-powered solutions and leveraging the Gemini API via Google AI Studio, Formula E and Google Cloud explored the feasibility: Could the  Genbeta car generate enough charge through regenerative braking while rolling downhill to complete a full 3.337-km lap of the Circuit de Monaco?

Using only the potential energy of gravity, the car had to regenerate between 1.6 and 2.0 kWh—enough to power it around the entire 3.337-km race track. This is the equivalent of fully charging nearly 60 Google Pixel 9 Pro XL mobile devices simply from regenerative energy.

Google Cloud’s integration:

• Google AI Studio: The Gemini API via Google AI Studio was used to analyse the complex variables of the descent. The AI model helped identify and analyse optimal braking zones, calculate the impact of speed-to-weight ratios and gravitational forces, and refine driving angles to maximise energy regeneration.
• BigQuery: Google Cloud’s unified, serverless data-to-AI platform collected, stored, and analysed real-time telemetry data transmitted from the car during the descent, providing crucial insights for verification and analysis.
• Firebase: Google Cloud’s application development platform, Firebase, was used to rapidly build and host the intuitive dashboard application that allowed race engineers to visualise real-time car telemetry data from BigQuery on their Chromebooks and Pixel devices.
• NotebookLM: Google’s AI-powered research and writing assistant, NotebookLM, was used throughout the project lifecycle to consolidate technical specifications, logistical plans, and engineering data, streamlining collaboration between Formula E and Google Cloud teams.

Alex Aidan, VP Marketing, Formula E, said: “This is not just another attention-grabbing racing story—it is a case study in how high-efficiency regeneration and cloud-based AI can revolutionise how we think about mobility, energy optimisation, and sustainability.

“The challenge we faced illustrates the real-world problems that Google Cloud’s technology and that of our wider partner group can solve—whether it is regenerative braking for road cars, dynamic route planning for delivery fleets, or efficient energy management in smart cities. It is about developing technology designed to handle everyday circumstances and engineered to outrun.

“At Formula E and with the  Genbeta project, we are all about pushing the boundaries of what is possible and doing things others have never dreamed of. Our partnership with Google Cloud has rapidly evolved, and our longstanding relationship with ABB shows the potential for technology to transform racing and how global brands are bringing their narratives and products to life through impactful collaboration.”

Guillaume Roques, Senior Director of EMEA Marketing at Google Cloud, said: “Google Cloud thrives on helping partners solve unique challenges with data and AI, and the ‘Mountain Recharge’ project is a fantastic demonstration of how AI can tackle complex, real-world challenges.

“Using our technologies, we could model the intricate physics of the descent and precisely calculate the regeneration potential. This isn’t just about race cars; it’s about how our AI capabilities can help any organisation optimise for efficiency and sustainability by turning data into actionable insights.”

Image: Starting with only enough energy to power on the car, the daring descent was carried out by Formula E test driver and former Maserati MSG Racing Team Principal, James Rossiter. Credit: Formula E