Lola and Yamaha to extend collaboration into Formula E's Gen4 era

Written by Vyas Ponnuri

Lola Cars have announced their decision to continue with technical partner Yamaha into the upcoming Gen4 era of Formula E in 2026.

Lola ABT Yamaha become the fifth team to commit to the Gen4 era of Formula E | Credit: Simon Galloway/LAT Images

British-based car manufacturer Lola Cars made their first foray into Formula E ahead of season ten, taking over the erstwhile ABT Cupra outfit that commenced the Gen3 era in season nine.

Lola then signed an agreement to partner with Japanese manufacturer Yamaha ahead of season ten, in a significant move to leverage the latter's expertise and develop a Formula E powertrain for the team.

This tripartite agreement gave birth to the Lola ABT Yamaha Formula E team, with Yamaha and Lola looking to develop advanced future technologies in the field of electric vehicles. Their collaboration only highlights the position of Formula E as a breeding ground for the future of EVs.

Lola ABT Yamaha have become the fifth team to commit to upcoming Gen4 era of Formula E, following in the footsteps of Nissan, Maserati, Jaguar and Porsche. Lola already announced their decision to commit to Formula E's Gen4 era earlier this year.

Formula E's Gen4 era has been touted to be revolutionary, with performance readings touted to bring the upcoming generation of Formula E cars even closer to its F1 counterparts.

While Lola ABT Yamaha haven't been able to open their account in 2025 just yet, the early decision to opt for a continuation speaks of the confidence all parties have in this collaboration becoming a success in forthcoming years.

“Working alongside Yamaha Motor on the development of the powertrain the Lola Yamaha ABT team is currently using in Formula E has been a mutually beneficial and positive experience," said Till Bechtolsheimer, Chairman, Lola Cars.

"Having already committed to GEN4 ourselves, I’m so pleased that Yamaha Motor will be continuing this journey in electric racing with us.

"With their vast experience and commitment to advancing sustainable mobility, they are the perfect partner for Lola Cars and we look forward to continuing to drive innovation through motorsport with them.”

Heiji Maruyuma, Managing Executive Officer, and Director of Yamaha echoed the same sentiments on continuing to work alongside Lola Cars:

“Yamaha Motor is accelerating its research and development of various technologies to acquire and enhance new core technologies that will provide Kando [Japanese expression for simultaneous feelings of deep satisfaction and intense excitement experienced when we encounter something of exceptional value] to our fans and contribute to sustainability in the future," Heiji expressed.

It remains to be seen if this news will spur Lola ABT Yamaha into the upcoming Miami E Prix weekend. Neither Lucas Di Grassi nor rookie Zane Maloney have managed a point yet, with a best result of 12th for Maloney in the season opener at Sao Paulo.

Formula E returns after a two-month hiatus this weekend, with the grid of 22 drivers and 11 teams set to take to the Miami-Homestead raceway for the Miami E Prix. Do make sure to tune in and catch all the live action!