With every passing promotional event I find myself becoming more and more excited by the idea of the FIA Formula E Championship. The series, slated to make its debut in a city near you next year, will feature cars powered exclusively by electric energy.

Organisers behind the FIA Formula E Championship announced two major partnerships today along with revealing 3D concept images of their proposed 2014 challenger. The news sees two more well known motor sport brands sign up to the series, with TAG Heuer and Renault both being named as founding partners.

The new Formula E championship recently announced Champ Car champion Gil de Ferran as an Official Ambassador. It’s not always clear what the role of an ambassador demands, beyond attaching their good name to a sport to give it just that little bit extra credibility. In this case, as if we weren’t excited enough for the electric championship to get underway, the addition of de Ferran has done exactly what it was supposed to.

Formula E, the FIA’s new all-electric, open-wheel racing series, has begun to generate (pun only slightly intended) genuine interest from all corners. Formula 1 devotees are beginning to pay attention too, which is not as surprising as it may at first seem. Connections between Formula E and Formula 1 are really very close; almost nepotistic. To illustrate: in the inaugural season, a customer car is being provided to alleviate development and operating costs for prospective teams.

It's a bit astonishing that in this day and age it's still quite easy to upset people with new ideas that may not be popular but do have a concept behind them. These events have been commonplace in F1, whether it be more recently from DRS or in the past with regulation changes, and yet over the past few weeks there seems to be this same feeling of unease at the next big Formula to be unveiled by the FIA - Formula E.

Much has been revealed about the emerging Formula E series in the past few months. Here’s a whirlwind tour of developments in the new motorsport. The Spark-Renault racing car that all teams will use in the first season was officially unveiled at the Frankfurt motor show in September. It was minus some important parts - namely, the powertrain - but showed off a sleek, low-drag shape and 18” Oz wheels shod in low-profile Michelins.

When Formula E announced their new driver's club, it showed there were some serious racing drivers that hoped for an opportunity in the brand new series, but it didn't capture my attention completely. At this point, the list is just names who have expressed an interest in this year's inaugural Formula E championship, but it's still up to the teams to pick and choose who they want to drive for them.

F1 doesn’t quite know what to make of the upstart electric racing series Formula E. In some quarters, there’s disdain. Bernie has made no secret of the fact that he doesn’t think it will work. He’s reported to have said recently of Formula E: “It’ll make a few quid and then disappear.” Others have written disparagingly of a driver line-up made up of “F1 rejects” and blasted the slower speeds and more civilised noise levels.