DS Exits Formula E as Opel Prepares Bold Entry

The end of one era rarely arrives quietly—especially not in Formula E. DS Automobiles, a name woven into the championship’s competitive DNA, is stepping away just as the series gears up for its most ambitious leap yet.

After more than a decade pushing the limits of electric racing, DS will exit at the close of Season 12. And almost on cue, Opel is ready to take the baton, lining up a full factory entry for the 2026/27 season. Same group, different philosophy. Stellantis isn’t leaving the grid—it’s reshuffling its hand.

DS didn’t just participate in Formula E; it helped define it. Since joining in 2015 as the first premium brand in the series, the French manufacturer turned the championship into a rolling test bench. The numbers tell part of the story—four titles, 18 wins, 55 podiums—but the real impact runs deeper.

Efficiency breakthroughs, smarter energy management, and finely tuned electric drivetrains developed under race pressure have filtered directly into DS road cars. Some of its latest EVs now stretch up to 750 km on a charge, a figure that would’ve sounded optimistic a decade ago.

So no, this isn’t a retreat. It’s a pivot.

From racetracks to open water

DS is shifting its attention toward new technical playgrounds, including a partnership with SailGP Team France. It may sound like a left turn, but the overlap is real: aerodynamics, lightweight construction, and advanced software are just as critical on water as they are on track. And all of it feeds back into the next wave of electric vehicles.

Meanwhile, Opel is preparing to make its move—and it’s not dipping a toe in.

The German brand will enter Formula E with a full factory effort under the Opel GSE banner, timed perfectly with the arrival of the GEN4 era. That timing matters. These next-generation cars are expected to rewrite performance benchmarks, with outputs reaching 600 kW (around 816 hp), all-wheel drive for the first time, and energy recovery levels that push the limits of what’s currently possible.

In short, this isn’t just another season. It’s a reset.

Opel isn’t coming in cold, either. The company has already made waves with the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup—the first all-electric one-make rally series in the world. That program laid the groundwork, both technically and culturally, for a broader electric motorsport push.

Now, with decades of experience spanning rally stages, touring car grids, and endurance racing, Opel is scaling up. Formula E becomes the global stage for its GSE performance line, with models like the Mokka GSE and upcoming Corsa GSE expected to mirror the lessons learned on track.

The shift from DS to Opel says a lot about where Formula E is heading. Manufacturers aren’t just competing—they’re constantly recalibrating how motorsport fits into their electric future.

DS leaves behind a legacy that helped legitimize electric racing. Opel arrives at a moment when the stakes—and the speed—are higher than ever. The question now isn’t whether the series will evolve. It’s who will define what comes next.

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