The future of all-electric high-performance motorsport has been revealed by Formula E and the Fedration Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) at the Yacht Club de Monaco where the third-generation Formula E race car was officially unveiled to the public.
The Gen3 is the world’s first race car designed and optimised specifically for street racing. It will debut in Season 9 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, where some of the world’s greatest manufacturers race wheel-to-wheel on the streets of iconic global cities.
Developed by engineers and sustainability experts at the FIA and Formula E, the Gen3 is the pinnacle of high performance, efficiency and sustainability. Designed to show the world that high performance and sustainability can powerfully co-exist without compromise, the Gen3 pioneers cutting-edge technologies that will make the transfer from race to road.
While aerodynamic development programs have been central to driving incremental improvement in motorsport for decades, the launch of the Gen3 propels software engineering forwards as a new battleground for motorsport innovation and competition. Performance upgrades to the Gen3 will be delivered as software updates directly to the advanced operating system built into the car.
Seven of the world’s leading automotive manufacturers have registered with the FIA to race the new Gen3 in Season 9 of the ABB FIA World Championship with pre-season testing this winter. They are: DS Automobiles, France; Jaguar, UK; Mahindra Racing, India; Maserati, Italy; NIO 333, UK and China; Nissan, Japan;Porsche AG, Germany.
Design, engineering and production innovations for the Gen3 race car include:
Performance:
- Fastest Formula E car yet with a top speed over 322 kph / 200 mph.
- Most efficient formula racing car ever with more than 40% of the energy used within a race produced by regenerative braking.
- Around 95% power efficiency from an electric motor delivering up to 350kW of power (470BHP), compared to approximately 40% for an internal combustion engine.
- First-ever 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.
- Ultra-high speed charging capability of 600kW for additional energy during a race, almost double the power of the most advanced commercial chargers in the world.
- The first formula car that will not feature rear hydraulic brakes with the addition of the front powertrain and its regenerative capability.
Every aspect of Gen3 production has been rethought, redesigned and rebuilt to ensure the car sets the benchmark for high-performance, sustainable racing without compromise. For example, natural materials have been introduced to tyres, batteries and bodywork construction with life cycle thinking at the core.
Sustainability:
- Gen3 batteries are among the most advanced, sustainable batteries ever made consisting of sustainably-sourced minerals while battery cells will be reused and recycled at end of life.
- Linen and recycled carbon fibre will be used in bodywork construction for the first time in a formula car featuring recycled carbon fibre from retired Gen2 cars and reducing the overall amount of virgin carbon fibre used. This will reduce the carbon footprint of the production of the Gen3 bodywork more than 10%. All waste carbon fibre will be reused for new applications through adoption of an innovative process from the aviation industry.
- Natural rubber and recycled fibres will make up 26% of new Gen3 tyres and all tyres will be fully recycled after racing.
- The carbon footprint of the Gen3 has been measured from the design phase to inform all reduction measures taken to reduce environmental impact, while all unavoidable emissions will be offset as part of Formula E’s net zero carbon commitment.
- All Gen3 suppliers will operate in line with top international standards to reduce environmental impacts of manufacturing (ISO 14001) and be FIA Environmental Accreditation 3-Star rated.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President said: “Both technologically and environmentally, Gen3 sets new standards in the sport. The FIA and Formula E development teams have done a superb job, and I thank them for their hard work on this project. I am delighted to see so many leading manufacturers already signed up to the championship’s next era and await Gen3’s competitive debut in Season 9 with great anticipation.”
Jamie Reigle, Chief Executive Officer, Formula E said: “Monaco is the spiritual home of motorsport and there is nowhere more fitting to unveil our Gen3 race car. The Gen3 disrupts and challenges the conventions of motorsport, setting the benchmark for performance, efficiency and sustainability without compromise.
“Together with the FIA, we are proud to reveal the Gen3 to Formula E fans and demonstrate to the wider sports industry how elite sport, high performance and sustainability can successfully co-exist in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. We cannot wait to see how our teams and drivers push the car to its limit in 2023.”
Alejandro Agag, Founder and Chairman, Formula E said: “The Gen3 represents the ambitious third age of Formula E and the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. With every generation of race car we push the boundaries of possibility in EV technology further and the Gen3 is our most ambitious project to date. The eyes of the world are on the Principality for the Monaco E-Prix and we are proud to reveal a car that been two years in the making in the historic home of motorsport. My thanks go to the great team behind it at Formula E and the FIA – the future of all electric racing is bright.”
[Note: The story from as per press release]