Mahindra Racing unveiled its Gen2 Formula E M7Electro electric racing car in early December 2020. It will debut on the Formula E Championship racetrack in January 2021. Already in the news for its new powertrain developed by Mahindra Racing and ZF Friedrichshafen AG, the Gen2 car also drew attention for its new eye-catching livery.

Clean and sharp, with no unnecessary design elements, the livery – white and red with a splash of blue – was designed to showcase the aggressive, striking looking chassis of the Gen2 Formula E car. “It a classic, dynamic design that will serve as the baseline for future development,” said Mark Antar, who developed the concept.

“We wanted to focus on Mahindra’s main colours – white and red.” And so, they did, using Fluro Red which has become a strong part of Mahindra Racing’s identity. Applying it on a clean white base ensured the final result was eye-grabbing.

Working closely with Dilbagh Gill, CEO and Team Principal, Mahindra Racing, in the opening stages, Mr. Antar evolved the design in 3D. Mr. Antar feels that livery has to be adapted well to fit different chassis styles. It is also important to have an objective, a story in mind before the livery is designed. Once designed, the livery should tell its story.

The M7 Electro’s livery was tested under various lighting conditions, environments, camera angles and perspectives so that it would look good in person and on camera under various light conditions.

Mr. Antar has a word of advice for aspiring designers – always study various cars and livery designs from the past to make sure that a design works as intended. The M7 Electro’s livery is a testament to this advice.