Last year the FIA announced the first ever electric car only race championship – which is scheduled to take place in 2014. Electric cars are quite the rage these days and the race industry is quickly adapting to this transition. Large corporations and media have all hopped on the train pulling out of the station as Fox Sports just recently signed a multi-year deal to cover the sport and big name race teams are moving forward to field the teams and cars to compete. These teams include McLaren, Renault and others.
Of course in any industry crowdfunding is soon to follow and now we have an interesting crowdfunding campaign where a Japanese driver, Yuki Shiraishi, is crowdfunding himself to race in the Formula E competition.
Crowdfunding on Japanese based platform Countdown, Shiraishi has set a goal of raising ¥ 3,000,000 ($490,620).
The young driver is using a range of reward with the top tiers giving sponsorship positions on the car and suit. He is presently taking part in developing Japan’s first EV race car with the Tommy Kaira ZZ.
Shiraishi sees the race as a way to help save the environment by promoting use of electric cars in Japan and around the world.
The funding effort has a way to go as it only stands at ¥ 143,000 raised as of today. Maybe some of the major Japanese automobile manufacturers will step up to the plate and help push this one across the finish line.
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