CUPRA KIRO has unveiled its new GEN4 Formula E challenger at the Paris Motor Show as the American team prepares to target a further step forward during the 2026/27 FIA Formula E World Championship season.
The launch marks the beginning of a new technical chapter for the team as Formula E introduces its most advanced generation of machinery to date. GEN4 will deliver 600kW of power, active all-wheel drive and up to 700kW of regenerative braking, while CUPRA KIRO will also compete with contemporary hardware for the first time through the Porsche 975 RSE.
The team enters the new campaign following its most successful Formula E season to date. Two pole positions, victory on the streets of Tokyo and three podium finishes helped CUPRA KIRO secure eighth in the 2025/26 Teams’ Championship, giving the squad momentum as it looks to move closer to the championship’s leading manufacturers.
CUPRA KIRO targets another step forward with GEN4
GEN4 represents Formula E’s largest technical evolution so far, but for CUPRA KIRO it also provides an opportunity to reset its competitive position against the established front-running teams.
The American operation has focused on improving multiple areas of its programme following the progress made during 2025/26. Central to that effort is the move to the Porsche 975 RSE, giving CUPRA KIRO access to the latest technology developed by Technical Partner Porsche Motorsport as the championship enters the new regulations.
Having previously competed with older hardware, CUPRA KIRO believes the switch to a contemporary package gives it a stronger platform from which to challenge further up the order. The team has made clear that simply maintaining last season’s progress is not enough, with the next objective centred on becoming a consistent contender against Formula E’s leading manufacturers.
The timing of that transition coincides with a significant performance increase across the championship. GEN4 combines far greater power with permanent active all-wheel drive and increased regenerative capability, creating a fundamentally different technical challenge for every team and driver.
Hughes and Martí form experienced 2026/27 pairing
CUPRA KIRO’s technical development will be supported by a revised driver line-up, with Pepe Martí returning for a second season alongside new signing Jake Hughes.
Martí gives the team continuity after completing his rookie Formula E campaign, while Hughes returns to a full-time race seat with three seasons of championship experience behind him. The British driver has previously demonstrated strong qualifying pace and also brings development experience from Formula E and Formula 1.
The combination represents a change in approach for Kiro Race Co, which will begin a Formula E season without a rookie driver for the first time. CUPRA KIRO hopes they can combine Martí’s continued development with Hughes’ greater experience as both drivers adapt to the demands of GEN4.
Their arrival in the Porsche-powered package will also give the team a fresh reference point during the early stages of development. With every manufacturer facing a substantial technical reset, CUPRA KIRO views its driver pairing as another area in which it can strengthen its challenge.
Evolved CUPRA KIRO identity revealed in Paris
The GEN4 launch also introduced an evolution of the visual identity CUPRA KIRO has used since Kiro Race Co began its Co-Title Partnership with CUPRA in 2024.
Fluorescent yellow remains central to the design and is again paired with CUPRA’s signature copper tones. The combination has become one of the team’s defining visual characteristics, but the GEN4 interpretation takes on a more aggressive appearance to match the increased performance of the new car.
The sharper design accompanies a wider shift within the team as it enters its third Formula E season under Kiro Race Co. With new technical hardware, an experienced driver pairing and a revised visual identity, the operation sees the start of GEN4 as an opportunity to establish itself more firmly among the championship’s contenders.
Tarica: ‘We’re at the beginning of our journey’
The Forest Road Company President Jeremy Tarica believes the launch reflects how far the organisation has progressed since Kiro Race Co entered Formula E.
“We’re incredibly proud to see Kiro Race Co enter its third season in Formula E and to unveil the car that will take us into this next chapter. In just two years, we’ve transformed this team to consistently defy expectations, both on and off the track.”
Tarica pointed to the sporting and commercial progress made across the previous two campaigns but stressed that the team still views its development as being at an early stage.
“We’ve delivered meaningful sporting and commercial progress, however, we’re not here to stand still – we’re at the beginning of our journey. The foundations are now in place for us to take another significant step forward, and GEN4 gives us an opportunity to show what this organisation is capable of.”
The team’s longer-term ambition is to establish itself alongside Formula E’s major manufacturers rather than simply building on last season’s isolated successes.
“We’re entering this new era with a real appetite to take on the giants of this sport. That’s the ambition we’ve always been building towards, and that mission starts today with the unveiling of our GEN4 car. I’m incredibly excited to see what comes next.”
O’Hagan sees genuine opportunity to fight at front
Team Principal Russell O’Hagan described the unveiling as the product of months of preparation across the organisation, with the technical reset providing an opportunity to translate that work into stronger results.
“Unveiling our GEN4 car is a significant moment for the whole team. Collectively, we’ve put an enormous amount of work into preparing for this defining new era of Formula E, and launching our season today is the product of a huge amount of dedication made across the entire organisation.”
O’Hagan believes the combination of the Porsche technical package and Hughes-Marti driver pairing gives CUPRA KIRO a more competitive foundation heading into the new season.
“GEN4 represents a major step forward for Formula E, and in our technical package and driver lineup, we have a genuine opportunity to compete at the front of the field. We know that the level of competition will be extremely high, but we’re entering this season with a clear ambition to challenge and to establish ourselves as contenders.”
The team also used the off-season to address several areas internally after its strongest Formula E campaign.
“We made improvements to almost every area of the team over the last year, and now, we get the chance put our work to the test. There’s a real sense of faith and belief within the team, and we’re hungry to turn that into performance when we go racing later this year. I can’t wait to see what we can achieve.”
Testing next as 2026/27 season approaches
CUPRA KIRO will now turn its attention towards Pre-Season Testing, which takes place from 16–20 November 2026. The running will provide the team with its first major opportunity to evaluate the new package alongside the rest of the Formula E field before competitive action begins.
The 2026/27 FIA Formula E World Championship will then get underway on 18–19 December, beginning the first season of the GEN4 regulations.
After taking pole positions, podiums and a race victory during 2025/26, CUPRA KIRO enters the new era aiming to convert that progress into more consistent front-running performances. With the Porsche 975 RSE, an experienced driver pairing and a wider push across its operations, the team views GEN4 as its best opportunity yet to establish itself among Formula E’s leading contenders.
