Formula 1 racing boasts some of the most astonishingly fast cars on the planet, capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in a mere 2.6 seconds. Now, however, there’s a new contender: Formula E.
This all-electric racing series, which began in 2014, recently introduced its GEN3 Evo cars. According to series officials, these cars can accelerate even faster than their Formula 1 counterparts, going from 0 to 60 mph in a blistering 1.82 seconds.
What’s equally impressive is the technology being developed on the track. This innovation will eventually trickle down to street-legal electric vehicles, making them more efficient and performant. The cars were recently on display at a promotional event at the Miami International Autodrome at Hard Rock Stadium. The Miami race will be held April 11 and 12 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Formula E cars look like smaller, narrower versions of Formula 1 cars. Some team names, such as Andretti, Jaguar, Maserati, and Tag Heuer Porsche, may sound familiar to racing enthusiasts. The Envision Racing team, for instance, aims to “inspire generations to tackle climate change and transition to e-mobility and renewable energy.” In short, the racetrack has become a high-speed laboratory for sustainability.
As the cars zip around the track, their speed is striking. However, unlike Formula 1, there’s no deafening engine scream; instead, the electric cars sound more like jets shooting by. Races last between 45 minutes to an hour. They often feature more turns and tight corners than Formula 1, with fewer long straightaways.
Sebastien Buemi, who drives for Envision, is a Season 2 Formula E Champion, a four-time 24-hours of Le Mans winner, and a former Formula 1 driver. He notes the difficulty in comparing Formula 1 and Formula E cars due to the different regulations.
“We (Formula E) have a lot less downforce on the car; we don’t have slick tires — we have road tires, so obviously it removes grip. But the car is generally compact and small, so on the street circuit with tight corners, the car is extremely efficient and quick because the change of directions are quick.”
He also emphasizes that Formula E cars are now four-wheel drive. “When you have also the front wheels pulling you out of a corner, the acceleration is mega. Oh, it’s impressive,” he said.
Formula E cars begin the race with around 60% of the required energy. To finish the race, they must generate energy while racing. Regenerative braking is the key: the engine slows the car and acts as a generator, storing energy for later use.
Charlie Harbord, communications manager for Formula E, explains that drivers technically don’t brake but instead engage the engine to slow the car. This regenerative braking impacts race circuit design.
“When you think of really high speeds or flowing corners, you’re not really using the brakes that much,” Harbord said. “So we do need to sometimes modify the tracks, like put in a chicane so there are more high-to-low-speed corners. That then helps the regeneration. You really get the most amount of regeneration by going from a very high speed to a very small speed.”
Unlike Formula 1, Formula E doesn’t use pit stops unless there are two races in a weekend. During these doubleheaders, teams can perform a “pit boost,” a battery charge that injects 600 kilowatts of power into the engines in just 30 seconds.
In Formula 1, tire changes during pitstops are dramatic and crucial. The same is not true in Formula E. Harbord says their tires are specifically designed to be sustainable. A car will use only two sets for an entire weekend of qualifying, practice, and the race. Formula 1 cars, by contrast, are allowed 20 sets of tires per race weekend.
Formula E’s aim is to reduce waste and lower its carbon footprint. Using fewer tires reduces shipping and emissions. According to Harbord, 35% of Formula E’s Hankook tires are made from recycled or natural materials, and they are then recycled into new tires.
While the 11 Formula E teams share the same chassis, batteries, and tires, they can modify powertrains, suspension, and software. There’s a lot to tinker with.
“There’s a huge amount,” said James Barclay, team principal of Jaguar TCS Racing, which provides the Envision team with its car’s powertrain and suspension. “There are over 1,000 components.”
Barclay emphasizes that the software in EV racing is as crucial as aerodynamics is to Formula 1.
“It’s how the car drives, how we help the car put nearly 500 horsepower down on the ground, how we make the cars as drivable as possible and as efficient as possible. That’s what the software is there for.”
This iterative competition has led to faster cars, lighter and more potent batteries, and more precise software. In 2014, drivers had to switch cars mid-race to have enough power, and the engines lacked sufficient torque, necessitating gears. Nowadays, a single car completes the race, propelled by a single gear, with batteries capable of charging in 30 seconds.
Barclay notes that in a 45-minute race, Formula E cars use less than the equivalent of 5 liters (1.3 gallons) of fuel, even while reaching 180 mph on certain tracks. Internal combustion engine cars would consume around 30 liters (8 gallons) of fuel in the same amount of time.
Even though the drivers don’t shift gears, the gear’s design and size greatly impacts success. Barclay explains, “That’s a big part of the calculation of how fast the car goes, how efficient the car is — do you have acceleration over top speed? That’s all open to us.”
As for the real-world application of this technology, Harbord says that the software Jaguar developed for the track allows them to send software updates to customers who own Jaguar I-Pace EVs. This allowed an increase of 10% to the car’s battery range, simply through software improvements.
After the Miami race, Formula E will go on to race in glamorous cities like Monaco and Shanghai, concluding its season in London on July 27.
