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Evolution: defined as ‘the gradual development of something’. It’s pretty prominent in motorsport – to put it lightly - and will be a key theme in the upcoming Formula E season.

Season 11 will mark the start of the GEN3 Evo era, bringing the two-season lifespan of Formula E’s third car to a close. Like the name suggests, the car will be the same… but different. So what are those differences? Let’s take a look through what has turned GEN3 in GEN3 Evo.

Drivetrain development

The first change is one we will know little about until all of the cars hit the track. Every two years, Formula E’s homologation cycle resets, and with GEN3 Evo coming at the start of the third year of GEN3, that means the cars have all been revised under the skin as well.

Manufacturers will either refine their existing technology, or opt for a wholesale change and start from a clean sheet of paper. Efficiency, driveability, and reliability will be the key focuses of drivetrain development, but until we see all the cars on track, questions such as the pecking order and who’s made the biggest steps during the off-season will remain something of a mystery.

More grunt, more strategy

The headline change is the introduction of all-wheel drive. In the past, the front axle has been used exclusively for regen, but power will now also be sent that way.

But the active front drivetrain won't be in action all the time, only in the duel stages of Qualifying, Race starts, and – crucially – in Attack Mode during the Race.

Previously, Attack Mode has featured drivers twice dipping off-line into a designated area to unlock additional power that can be used for a total of four minutes in the race. But while the additional power is, of course, a positive, its activation comes at the expense of track position.

Now though, it unlocks even more performance from the car, with the usual 50kW boost being coupled with increased front-end grip and improved acceleration. It’ll be vital on the tight and twisty street circuits, where corner grip and acceleration out of them will be a huge deciding factor.

As with before, regen is still handled up front, with as much as 50 per cent of the car’s full complement of 600kW coming from there. The new all-wheel drive setup also means that 0-60 mph is handled in just 1.8s – an improvement of 0.2s over the outgoing car, and around 30 per cent quicker than a Formula 1 car.

The charging wait is over

Fast charging pit stops have been in the works for two years and are expected to be introduced for Season 11.

Dubbed ‘Attack Charge’, a 30-second stop would add 10 per cent more usable energy back into the car. This would add another strategic element to the race – when do you pit? When do you opt for your stop? It would also enable more flat-out racing, with less energy conservation needed thanks to the top-up.

If introduced as hoped, it would be used for double-header weekends, meaning we’d see it at 12 of the 16 races.

Beefed up bodywork

By its very nature, Formula E is a contact sport, and over the years, that has seen far too many front wings being lost in the line of duty. Not anymore.

Durability isn’t the sole focus of GEN3 Evo’s bodywork changes, though. A revised, and stronger, front wing assembly is part of an overall aerodynamic overhaul. The GEN3 car generated more drag than the car that preceded it, and a lot of that will be negated thanks to a package that is tighter and more efficient than before.

Greener and grippier tyres

The car isn't the only thing that's been reworked, the four things that keep it on track have been tweaked, too.

They’ll provide more grip thanks to a softer compound, while the grove pattern – which is visibly identical – is cut less deep this time around. Hankook's latest rubber is not only said to be around 10 per cent more grippy than the old tyres, but 35 per cent of their construction comes from recycled and sustainable materials, showcasing the perfect balance of sustainability and performance.

The batteries follow a similar path, being produced with minerals from ethical and sustainable sources. They'll be recycled after their useful life is over, too.

The GEN3 Evo car will make its competitive debut at the season opener in São Paulo on 7 December.