Formula E news from Mexico City
Already three weeks since the last Formula E race on the Circuit des Frères Rodriguez, Motors Inside takes stock of the latest important information to remember.
Start of Formula E testing for season 5 in October
The new generation of Formula E single-seaters, scheduled for the 2018/2019 season, will begin its testing program in October. The chassis provided by Spark Racing Technologies and powered by McLaren Applied Technologies batteries with a capacity of 54 kWh should make it possible to complete races with a single car for this new season.
The schedule has been slightly delayed due to the supplier selection protocol for the batteries taking longer to complete than expected. The crash tests for the chassis are scheduled to take place on September 1st to allow for the very first collective trials starting in February 2018. Regarding homologation, the schedule expects around August 2018. The peak power of the powertrains should reach 200 to 250 kW compared to 170 today. The energy harvesting should be equivalent. For the batteries, McLaren Applied Technologies will turn to Sony Energy Devices for the cells and the American company Atieva for the battery packs.
BMW will field its own team for season 5.
The German manufacturer had been announced a few weeks ago as a future manufacturer involved in Formula E for the 2018/2019 season. This means that BMW will have to develop its own powertrain by then. However, its involvement will be in the form of a brand new team fielded by the company in addition to its partnership with the Andretti team. The news was announced in a statement released by the Bavarian manufacturer. The championship will also be well-stocked with German manufacturers, as Audi will be fully present in partnership with the ABT team starting next season, and Mercedes will join the championship for season 5 as well. The three companies will each provide their own engines.
Techeetah in talks with DS for engine supply for the 2018/2019 season
The Chinese team Techeetah, which started its adventure in Formula E this year with Jean-Éric Vergne as the star driver, is equipped with a Renault power unit as the only customer team on the grid. The performances are indeed promising with two second-place finishes in the last two races. But the only problem is that each engine manufacturer is entitled to 15 days of testing, with an additional 7 days if supplying a customer.
The regulation leaves it to the discretion of the engine manufacturer to choose whether to use these 7 days for itself or for its client. Renault has chosen to use these 7 additional days for itself. This situation does not please Vergne, who is a stakeholder in the team. This is the reason why the structure, having taken over Aguri’s license, is entering into discussions with DS to benefit from its engine for the 2017/2018 season, with the former Formula 1 driver maintaining good relations with his former employer. The only certainty is that Renault will continue to supply Techeetah next season.
