The debate continues over which is better to drive: electric or internal combustion. World Rallycross even plans to pit them against each other in its upcoming 2024 season. With the tenth season of Formula E scheduled to kick off next weekend in Mexico, the Gen3 car is already installed. Thoughts are already turning to unlocking greater prospects and what’s in store for the next big Gen4 update. I spoke to the Envision and Maserati teams about what to expect for them this season and what to expect. for the long term of Formula E in the short and long term.
The Gen3 car is off to a turbulent start in its tenure. “Every time you have a new car in motorsport, the corner is very steep,” says Sylvain Filippi, CEO and CTO of the Envision Virgin Racing Formula E team. Last season in Mexico was still a test for the Gen3 car, with many mistakes to fix. This continued in the next two races in Saudi Arabia. “After the third or fourth race, we knew. In the first season with Gen3, obviously, some innovations may have been made. But Gen3 is a four-year cycle with an update in between. The Season 10 cars will be essentially the same as last year in terms of hardware, but with improved software controls. We’ll stick to the hardware as we prepare for Season 11 next year, with an improved powertrain. “
Maserati was a new vendor team in Season 9 and is the only Italian luxury brand in Formula E – no sign of electric Ferraris just yet. The company sees Formula E as key for its future, and simultaneously a return to its sporting roots. Its race win at the 2023 Jakarta E-Prix was its first single-seater victory since 1957. Maserati began racing in 1914, so 2024 is its 110th anniversary. With plans to have an electric version in its entire range by 2025 and all products to be fully electric by 2030, Maserati’s roadmap is tight and in need of rapid development insight. Formula E will deliver key technology knowledge to its road cars, which have always had an emphasis on performance.
“What we are told about power consumption will be key,” says Giovanni Sgro, director of Maserati Corse. “We can maximize power and optimize brake regeneration. This includes knowledge from the championship drivers themselves, not just the effects of powertrain technology. We are excited about the opportunities presented through the Gen3 car to our road cars. It will be wonderful to explore the changes this season. Gen3 has done a wonderful job of engaging the fans, who are as attached to the innovation as they are to the race itself.
However, one thing that was mentioned for last season, but never materialized, was the race load. It’s not yet clear if those six-hundred-kW charging stops will be implemented this season, the chances are much higher. It will depend on the resultado. de the tests. ” It’s an amazing technology,” Filippi says. “It’s twice as fast as the fastest public charging on the market. “The fastest ultra-fast charging is currently 350 kW. “We tested six hundred kW, so it’s so a lot of current and voltage flows through that battery. “
The plan is to add a 30-second recharge at 600kW, which would replenish 4-5kWh to the battery and potentially extend the race distance by up to 10% or provide greater performance for longer. This would add further strategic jeopardy alongside the attack mode requirements. “Fast charging will add a dynamic component to the racing,” says Sgro. “It will also help us learn how to charge a battery and perform at the highest level. How Formula E packages that will be very exciting.”
While Season 10 will run on the same Gen3 car as Season 9 and only incremental software updates, Formula E is already turning its attention to Gen4. “We’ll start very soon,” Filippi says. It’s another big step in functionality, probably the biggest ever made. We’ll see that in 2026 and we’ll compete in 2027. ” The car will most likely have at least 600 kW of power (the Gen3 currently has 350 kW, with 50 kW released on the front engine of the GenBETA, which broke the indoor speed record in 2023, and 200 kW more potentially available). A battery with more strength, to allow for faster speeds and, in all likelihood, longer runs. The functionality and rigidity of the car may force Formula E to reconsider the circuits it uses with the Gen4, as it may be too fast for some existing tracks.
While Gen4 might seem like the progression that puts the final nail in the coffin of Formula 1’s dominance as the king of circuit racing, Filippi believes the Gen3 car can also rival F1, with a different set-up. ,” he says. Today, we can make an electric motor that can outperform a Formula 1 engine in acceleration and even deliver the same top speeds. However, a giant component of lap times comes from downforce. Formula E also uses half road, half road. Race tires. If Formula E cars ran on slick tyres, they would already be reaching Formula 1 lap times. “The weight is already the same, and with the same aerodynamics and grip, it would be just as fast. “
In other words, in the not-too-distant future, Formula E could overtake Formula 1. “Gen4 will demonstrate that the platform continues to make an exciting career in Formula E,” added Sgro. “This will carry the message of innovation even further, with more technology, more functionality and even greater dynamics. Filippi concludes: “With Gen4, it will be the end game. “
Mitch Evans, Jaguar TCS Racing, Jaguar I-TYPE 6 ahead of Jake Dennis, Andretti Global, Porsche 99X. . . [ ] Electric Gen3 out of pit lane
But that’s for a few years. For now, Formula E has an exciting 2024 season ahead of it, with new venues to expand its global reach. Sadly, just before Christmas, one of the squares disappeared from the season’s calendar, when a new management in Hyderabad, India, reneged. about his predecessor’s agreement to hold a race on Feb. 10. Jakarta, Indonesia, is also absent for Season 10. However, Tokyo and Shanghai are still on the season calendar as new destinations. China will be especially important, given the huge market for electric vehicles. “China is also home to my Envision team, which is wonderful for technology, and then I go back to Monaco and London, all the interesting places we’ve been before,” Filippi says. “Due to COVID, 2020 was an obvious challenge, but we have since recovered. We expect immediate growth: more broadcasters, more territories, more fans.
“Formula E is two things,” concludes Filippi. “It’s a showcase of the latest and greatest tech and the speed of sheer acceleration. At the Portland racetrack we are reaching almost 300 kilometers an hour. Not many people could believe that a few years ago. I’m excited about the media platform growing. The bigger the sports, the bigger the region, the bigger the impact we have. I’m excited about going to new places because taking the show to these regions means a new market and new fans.”