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A series of industry-leading design, production, and technological innovations result in Formula E’s fastest, lightest, most powerful, and efficient racing car ever.
Kevin Clemens
November 30, 2021
3 Min Read
Courtesy of Formula E
Electric racing organizer Formula E and the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) have provided the first look at the third-generation all-electric racing car that will race in Season 9 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.
The Gen3 car was presented to a group of Formula E manufacturers, teams, drivers, and partners in Valencia, Spain, where pre-season testing is underway for Season 8 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, which begins in January 2022.
A Host of Innovations
Formula E manufacturers will take delivery of Gen3 cars in spring 2022 and the briefing in Valencia disclosed a series of design, performance, and sustainability innovations that teams can expect in the Gen3 car. Some of those innovations will include:
The world’s most efficient racing car – at least 40% of the energy used within a race will be produced by regenerative braking during the race
The first formula car with both front and rear powertrains: a new front powertrain adds 250kW to the 350kW at the rear, more than doubling the regenerative capability of the current Gen2 to a total of 600kW
The first formula car that will not feature rear hydraulic brakes due to the addition of the front powertrain and its regenerative capability
An electric motor delivering up to 350kw of power (470 horsepower), capable of a top speed of 200mph (320km/h), with a power-to-weight ratio that is twice as efficient as an equivalent internal combustion engine (ICE)
Lighter and smaller than the Gen2 to enable faster, more agile wheel-to-wheel racing
“The new Gen3 Formula E single-seater is a car created at the intersection of high performance, efficiency, and sustainability,” said Jean Todt, FIA President in a news release. “The work accomplished by the FIA’s teams together with Formula E, since the launch of the discipline eight seasons ago, tirelessly seek to drive innovation and further the development of sustainable mobility. I have no doubt that this new single-seater will elevate Formula E to the next level.”
Life Cycle Thinking
The Gen3 is the first formula racing car to apply Life Cycle Thinking with a clear path towards sustainability, second life, and end of life for tires, broken parts, and battery cells. Sustainability will be achieved by:
The Gen3 will be net-zero carbon, maintaining the Championship’s status as the first sport to be certified as net-zero carbon since its inception
All carbon fiber broken parts will be recycled by an innovative process from the aviation and aerospace industry into new fibers reusable for other applications
A pioneering process will deliver 26% sustainable materials into the composition of tires
The Gen3 is powered by electric motors that are substantially more efficient than ICEs as they can convert over 90% of the electrical energy into mechanical energy (motion) compared to approx. 40% in high-efficiency ICEs
All suppliers are held to strict sustainability KPIs, notably achieving FIA 3* Environmental Accreditation certification by Season 9
“In designing the Gen3 car, we set out to demonstrate that high performance, efficiency, and sustainability can co-exist without compromise,” said Jamie Reigle, Formula E CEO. “Together with the FIA, we have built the world’s most efficient and sustainable high-performance race car.”
Kevin Clemens is a Senior Editor with Battery Technology.
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