Just how far has Formula E come in five years?

Creating a completely new motorsport series is always going to be difficult, but doing it with a disruptive and relatively untested form of technology at the heart of each car seems like a recipe for failure.

That hasn’t been the case for Formula E though. Of course, there were teething problems, but after its fifth season drew to a dramatic close this weekend it’s safe to say that the all-electric series has established itself in the hard and fast world of motor racing.

But just how far has the sport come since its introduction in 2014? Well, if you haven’t been following, here's what we think are the major plus points…

German driver Daniel Abt has been with the Audi Sport ABT team since day one of Formula E. So, who better to ask about that first season?

"When we started with the first race of season one in Beijing it wasn’t taken seriously. Nobody knew what to expect and everyone was laughing at us," he told TopGear.com.

"I didn’t even know whether to be nervous, or if it was even a proper race.

"Since then, every single season the competition has got tougher and the media interest has been greater. The people that were laughing are now interested, and drivers who said they’d never do it are coming here to race."

There's nothing like proving people wrong.

Up until the beginning of this season, each driver would have two separate cars for each race. That’s because the batteries in the first generation Formula E car only allowed a run time of around 25 minutes, meaning a pit stop was needed halfway through each race to change into a fully charged car. Hardly the best advert for electric motoring.

Tech moves fast these days though, and the Gen2 car that was introduced this season has a 52kWh battery powerful enough to complete the full 45 minutes + 1 lap distance. 

It’s also worth pointing out that the new car looks absolutely fantastic, and to keep the racing as close as possible, teams can’t change any of the aero at all.

Ah yes, speaking of close racing. Formula E is certainly not lacking in drama. Yes, the noise might not be what you expect to hear as a full grid of racing cars barrels past you, but the tight city circuits mean almost any mistake is punished.

The qualifying system also favours drivers lower down in the championship standings, so the big boys like Jean-Eric Vergne and Sebastien Buemi are often forced to fight their way through the pack.

Another sign of just how far the sport has progressed, Formula E now has a support race on its card. 

The Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY may not be the most exhilarating series – the cars use stock I-Pace powertrains – but its addition means fans are exposed to more than just one form of electric racing on a day out. Bravo.

This is the big one. Next season, both Porsche and Mercedes will join Audi, BMW, DS, Nio, Nissan and Jaguar in running a Formula E team. 

That’s a hugely impressive line up, and as manufacturers increasingly distance themselves from Formula 1 and aim to prove their eco credentials, we’re likely to see even more entries over the next few years. 

Formula E may not have completely grabbed your attention yet, but five years in it’s giving it a darn good go. Where will the sport be five years from now we wonder?