There will be no roar of high-performance engines and thick smell of oil and fuel at the inaugural Montreal ePrix this summer. Formula E is a new property of FIA (Fédération internationale de l’automobile), featuring electric vehicles. The series was launched in 2014 and this year will feature 10 teams and 20 drivers. Montreal will host the final two races of the 2016-17 season under the title sponsorship of Hydro-Québec.

The races will be held not at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve (home course for the Montreal Grand Prix), but along a 2.5 km course through the city’s downtown.

The race aligns with Quebec government policies promoting electric vehicles and Hydro-Québec’s efforts to build a charging infrastructure in Quebec to support wider adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles.