Tokyo E-Prix Goes Nocturnal: Formula E’s First Night Street Race in Japan

Lights Out: Formula E is bringing the lights to Tokyo — literally. The 2026 Tokyo E-Prix will be the championship’s first-ever night street race in Japan, with both rounds of the double-header kicking off at 20:00 local time on July 25-26 around the Tokyo Big Sight waterfront circuit.

Attack Mode: This is more than a scheduling tweak — it’s a statement. The entire night race, including all trackside lighting infrastructure, will be powered by sustainable energy sourced from advanced biofuels. The event anchors the partnership between Formula E and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, which is using the series as a platform to promote Zero Emission Vehicles and accelerate the city’s goal of net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050. The GEN3 Evo cars battling under floodlights on Tokyo Bay is the kind of visual moment that can shift public perception of electric mobility.

Telemetry Data:
* Historic hat-trick: The 2026 race marks Tokyo’s third consecutive year hosting Formula E — from the first-ever FIA World Championship race on city streets in 2024, to last season’s dramatic home win for Nissan’s Oliver Rowland, which launched his title-winning campaign.
* Powered green: All event energy, including the lighting rig, will run on sustainable biofuels — no grid power, no diesel generators.
* Biggest season ever: Season 12 spans 17 races across 11 cities, the largest calendar in the championship’s history.
* Tickets incoming: Sales details will be announced on February 24.

Team Radio: “Hosting a Formula E night race event in Tokyo is a massive milestone,” says Alberto Longo, Co-Founder and Chief Championship Officer. “To see the world’s most innovative electric race cars competing under the dramatic lights of the Tokyo Bay waterfront will be an unforgettable moment.” Governor Yuriko Koike adds: “The 2026 Tokyo E-Prix will be a night race to let the world know about Tokyo’s fascinating nightlife. I am confident it will add more brilliance to Tokyo’s nights.”

Grid Position: Tokyo has rapidly become one of Formula E’s marquee events. The inaugural race in 2024 broke new ground as Japan’s first street circuit world championship event; Season 11 delivered a fairy-tale home victory for Nissan that electrified the fanbase. Moving to a night format is a calculated escalation — it creates a visually stunning broadcast product, leverages Tokyo’s globally renowned nightlife culture, and gives the series a flagship spectacle in the Asian market to rival the Monaco night-race glamour of traditional motorsport.

Source: Formula E / Tokyo Metropolitan Government joint press release.