I'm not exactly sure how they pulled this one off, but this drag race is likely a match-up you've never seen before. ABB FIA Formula E cars are extremely fast, and this stunt back in 2017 pitted a Formula E race car against the world's fastest land animal: a cheetah. Seems appropriate, considering the fact that Formula E driver Jean-Eric Vergne races the electric car for the Techeetah race team. The ensuing video is definitely entertaining, but it was also made to spread awareness of the threat of climate change. A noble cause, no doubt.
The action takes place on a landing strip in Western Cape, South Africa. The match-up actually isn't as far-fetched as you might think. Being the fastest animal, the cheetah is capable of a top speed of 70 MPH and a 0-60 time of three seconds. Oddly enough, that's the exact same 0-60 time as the Spark-Renault SRT01E race car. Let's find out the answer to who might win this race. Formula E car vs cheetah: Who's your money on?
This whole thing is pretty incredible. The cinematic views are perfect, and it truly keeps your eyes locked on the screen. As the two get ready to race, the Techeetah driver lines his E-prix electric vehicle on the pavement, and the cheetah gets in position in the dirt on the side of the runway. They wait on the signal, and then take off.
The cheetah nails its launch from the line and jumps into an early lead. Vergne struggles a bit with wheel spin during the start, but begins to chase down the big cat as soon as he grips up. As they close in on the finish line, the Formula E car just barely squeezes its nose ahead for the victory.
This was more entertaining than most of the car races that I've seen. However, I still have so many questions as to how they actually got that cheetah to line up and race. After they cross the finish line, the cat is seen trotting around with what seems to be a smile on its face. Following that, Jean-Eric is seen giving the cat some love as it stands on the hood of the car. I think it's safe to say that this isn't the first time the Techeetah Formula E team has been around these agile animals.
The video concludes with some information for its viewers. They state that the cheetah is one of the 10 animals most at risk of climate change. They also add that Formula E racing is accelerating the development of electric-powered vehicles. Lastly, they ensure everyone that no animals were harmed in the making of this video. They take animal welfare seriously and are pushing to make further developments for the future of our planet. It's always great to see a motorsports organization that supports the preservation of the environment.
This post was originally published on April 12, 2021.