Editor's Note: (Alex Kalinauckas is Autosport's Plus Editor and Formula E correspondent. )
(CNN) Formula E crowned a new champion Saturday in New York. For the first time in the electric championship's history the title did not go down to the final race, as Jean-Eric Vergne triumphed early over rival Sam Bird at Brooklyn's Red Hook circuit.
Even before this season, these two had a history. They raced together during FE's second season at Virgin Racing, which turned out to be Vergne's sole campaign with the British team.
Things turned ugly at the Paris E-Prix in 2016 as they clashed on-track and Vergne endured a tough time at Virgin after a disagreement with its management at that season's race in Buenos Aires.
He was also still coming to terms with being removed from the Toro Rosso Formula One team at the end of 2014, and what that meant for his motorsport career.
Formula E: The iconic location of Red Hook, Brooklyn
Racing against the iconic Manhattan skyline, Formula E returned to Red Hook, New York for its season finale.
Jean-Eric Vergne clinched the 2017-18 drivers' championship after Saturday's first race of a weekend doubleheader. The Frenchman triumphed one day before his countrymen beat Croatia to win the football World Cup.
The all-electric racing series, the first of its kind when it launched in 2014, made history in 2017 by becoming the first international motor race of any description to be staged in The Big Apple.
Formula E races mostly take place on street circuits in some of the world's most iconic cities. As well as New York, the distinctive buzz of the cars has also been heard in Mexico City, Hong Kong, Rome and Paris.
Hollywood A-listers were drawn to the event, including actress Liv Tyler.
Sam Bird was victorious in 2017's inaugural race.
Formula E has made big strides stateside, having previously held races in Long Beach (pictured) and Miami.
READ: Why this is the race car of the future
"We were both put in some difficult situations by some decisions," says Bird. "It was a stressful environment for both of us, for different reasons."
Vergne found a new home with Techeetah ahead of FE's third season, and also took a stake in the Chinese team. All of Vergne's five FE race victories have come with the black-and-gold liveried, non-manufacturer-backed outfit.
"I'm [also now] a lot more settled -- private life, professional life," says Vergne. "Coming into Techeetah is what changed me. Being in both sides of the team, building the team and driver, really taught me to step back and look at what a team really wanted from a driver.
"I learnt a lot -- how to be inside a team with the mechanics with the engineers, up to which point you can push them, and to always be easy on them when it's time to be. It taught me massively."
Vergne was the favorite to become FE's fourth different title winner in four seasons ahead of the New York finale as he held a 23-point lead over Bird -- almost as many points as the sport awards for a race win.
Adding to Vergne's advantage was the form of his rookie teammate Andre Lotterer and the Audi team.
Audi, with its drivers Lucas di Grassi and Daniel Abt, had been the overwhelming favorite heading into the season thanks to the efficiency of its powertrain and the overall speed it showed in testing.
After Di Grassi won last time out in Zurich, following on from Abt leading an Audi demolition of the field in Berlin, it crushed its opposition again in race one in New York.
Lotterer, a triple Le Mans winner who has just completed his first season in FE, joined Techeetah ahead of season four.
He had a tough start in Hong Kong and Marrakech, but then pushed Vergne hard for the win in Santiago -- actually hitting the rear of his teammate's car at one point -- and since April's Rome race hasn't finished out of the points.
The combination of Audi, Lotterer and regular podium contender Sebastien Buemi -- FE's most successful driver, who finished the season without a race win -- meant Bird still carried hopes of victory into the Brooklyn doubleheader despite Vergne's points advantage.
Audi left every team in its wake during the first race, with Vergne taking first place and Abt settling for second. Buemi came in third.
Vergne could only manage a fifth-placed finish, although it was an admirable result after the Techeetah drivers were thrown out of qualifying for exceeding the maximum permitted power and had to start at the back of the grid.
Bird came home in ninth.
Virgin's struggles with the elongated track heavily hampered Bird, who was nevertheless proud of what he and his team had achieved in season four.
Driving the future
Described as "the funnest car I've ever driven" by none other than Kanye West, the Tesla Model S is now being used for
a new zero emissions racing series organized by Electric GT.
Details of the
EGT Championship were unveiled in April, with the inaugural season set to commence in the southern Spanish city of Jerez on November 3, 2018.
Able to accelerate from 0-60mph in just 1.85 seconds, the all-electric Rimac Concept Two is one of the fastest cars ever made.
Unveiled at March's Geneva Motor Show, the Croatian hypercar boasts top speeds of 258mph (412kph) and is claimed to be "as capable on track as it is crossing continents." It can travel a quarter of a mile -- from standstill -- in just 9.1 seconds.
Designers claim the Concept Two has a range of over 400 miles (650km.) With facial recognition in lieu of a traditional key, it's one of numerous electric supercar concepts lighting up 2018.
Offering a "new kind of luxury mobility," the interior design of the Aston Martin Lagonda Vision was overseen by Savile Row tailors.
As well as lush carpets of silk and cashmere, the self-driving car boasts front seats that rotate 180 degrees to facilitate face-to-face conversation on the move.
Designed in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the new Lamborghini concept is like nothing else on the road.
Italian for "Third Millennium," the Terzo Millenio would not look out of place in a sci-fi movie.
Stefano Domenicali, Lamborghini CEO and Chairman, said the project "intends to write an important page in the future of super sports cars."
All-electric four-seater saloon from China, the LVCHI Auto Venere claims to have a range of 403 miles (650km).
It's longer than a Range Rover but that doesn't stop it shifting. The Auto Venere can reportedly accelerate from 0-100kph (62mph) in 2.7 seconds, delivering a top speed of 168mph (270kph).
Designed to transport up to to six passengers simultaneously, the EZ-GO concept is Renault's "vision of shared urban mobility."
The shared, electric driverless vehicle has been "built for the city" and has level four autonomous technology, meaning it would be able to handle all routine circumstances on recognizable roads.
The days of the steering wheel may soon be over. Most controls aboard the IMx Kuro can be controlled via hand gestures and eye movements, according to the Japanese manufacturer.
Brain-to-Vehicle, or B2V, technology enables the KURO to interpret signals from the human brain, speeding up reaction times and paving the way for cars that learn from each other. Should the driver wish to sit back and let the car do the work, its seats recline and the steering wheel retracts into the dashboard.
Expected to hit the roads by "2022 at the latest," the I.D. Vizzion is also designed to be used predominantly with voice and gesture.
The car, unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, is said to boast a range of 413 miles (665km) between charges and level five autonomous driving -- meaning it can handle any situation a human could negotiate.
Capable of accelerating from 0-60mph in 4.5 seconds, the first ever all-electric Jaguar has 395bhp and a range of 298 miles.
"Every Jaguar feels like no other car on the road," says a statement from the iconic British manufacturer. "Moving to all-electric power doesn't change this."
With a "revolutionary" four-wheel drive powertrain developing 671bhp, the Elextra will reportedly move from standstill to 62mph (100 kph) in less than 2.3 seconds.
The Swiss-German built four-door car will have its top speed limited to 155mph (250 kph) but it boasts a range of over 600km on a single charge.
Hyunda claim the Le Fil Rouge adheres to the golden ratio -- a mathematical pattern found in nature -- culminating in a "sensuous sportiness."
French for "common thread," Hyundai claim Le Fil Rouge is a car that connects Hyundai's past, present and future designs.
This one-seater offering might not be the fastest -- boasting estimated top speeds of just 82mph (130kph) -- but the diminutive three wheeler will zip you around the city where few other cars can go for just $15,500.
Described as the "safest SUV ever," the new Model X seats seven but can accelerate from 0-60mph in just 2.9 seconds.
An amalgamation of the BMW i3 and BMW i8, the i Vision Dynamics concept has a range of 373 miles and accelerates from 0-62mph in four seconds.
Expect to see all-electric Minis on the roads by 2019, marking the 60th anniversary of the legendary marque's first car.
A four-wheel drive SUV concept from India, the futuristic looking e-Survivor will be powered by dual electric motors on each wheel and be equipped for autonomous travel.
Designed for track use only, the Chinese single-seat Techrules Ren RS can be configured with up to six electric motors, delivering up to 1,287bhp.
That lets it travel from 0-62mph (0-100kph) in three seconds with a max speed of 205mph (330kph).
READ: Susie Wolff to lead DiCaprio's FE team
Things actually got worse for Bird on Sunday. As Vergne capped his campaign with a walk-off win, Bird's 10th place and Di Grassi's runner-up spot meant the points swing was enough to push the erstwhile title contender down to third place behind the Brazilian.
Things also ended on a bittersweet note for Techeetah, as it lost the teams' title to Audi at the last gasp after a penalty for Lotterer for jumping the race start dropped him down the order.
But despite that -- and a bizarre €5,000 fine handed to both Techeetah drivers for wearing non-compliant fireproof underwear in race two qualifying -- the shine cannot be dimmed on Vergne's season.
This was his moment of redemption -- a reformed character grabbing the ultimate prize. It is one he's already aiming to claim again in 2018-19.
"Actually, I feel even hungrier now for more wins," he says. "Winning this year is one thing, but now everything is reset to zero and I proved it [with the race two win] -- my will and hunger to win more races.
"That's the attitude I'm going to have next year and I'm looking forward to next season."