New Season, New Car for Formula E Racing
The new Gen2 Formula E race car shows off the rapid speed of technological advancement in electric vehicles.
The fifth season of Formula E racing is off to a bold start with a dazzling new vehicle. The Gen2 car made its debut on December 15, 2018, at the kick-off race in Saudi Arabia, showing off its dramatic new body style and demonstrating the powerful capabilities of the new electronics package inside. Its capabilities blow away those of its impressive predecessor, the Gen1 Spark Renault SRT 01E, a testament to the rapid rate of technical innovation we are witnessing in the EV space.
The Gen1 racer takes a lap in the 2018 season of Formula E racing.
Formula E, a motor racing championship for electric vehicles, is the highest class of competition for electric open-wheel racing cars. Eleven cars compete for the championship on a course set on city streets in 12 locations around the world. It’s not just an exciting sport for car enthusiasts, it’s a vital testing ground for automotive electronics. The technologies demonstrated in Formula E cars could ultimately become standards in the general automotive market, and they help push R&D towards cleaner, faster, more efficient vehicles. Connector suppliers and distributors have been instrumental in the development of Formula E, including TE Connectivity, Molex, LEMO, TTI Electronics, Mouser, and Würth Elektronic. Beyond the connector world, other high-tech partners include Bosch, BMW, and ABB.
The new car has double the power and range of last year’s racer and can reach speeds of up to 280km/h (174mph), a significant increase over the Gen1’s 225km/h (140mph) potential. Its battery lasts twice as long as the one in the Gen1 vehicle, which means the need to swap cars mid-race has been eliminated: The new car can go the distance, even with a power output that is increasing from 200kW to 250kW.
The Gen2 car exceeds the previous car’s capabilities, a testament to the speed of innovation in the electric car space. (Photo courtesy of BMW)
In the weeks to come, look for more coverage of Formula E, including an interview with Würth Elektronik, and learn more about the electronics that make this racing series so exciting. Follow the races online as cities around the world host, culminating in a double-header season finale in New York City.
January 26, 2019 – Santiago
February 16, 2019 – Mexico City
March 10, 2019 – Hong Kong
March 23, 2019 – Sanya
April 13, 2019 – Rome
April 27, 2019 – Paris
May 11, 2019 – Monte Carlo
May 25, 2019 – Berlin
June 9, 2019 – Bern
July 13 and 14, 2019 – New York
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