The upcoming electric-only race series, called Formula E and governed by the FIA, promises all the thrill and glamour of a Formula 1 race without the head-hanging shame associated with the profligate burning of fossil fuels on a racetrack.* Like any other top-tier racing series, the stated goal is to use the open-wheelers as test beds for technology that might trickle into production cars. If a superior battery chemistry is going to make it to production, for example, it’ll get tested here first. The series is set to kick off in September 2014, and here’s what we know so far:
The inaugural calendar includes 10 venues: two in North America, three in South America, three in Europe, and two in Asia. All the tracks are temporary street circuits, à la the famed Circuit de Monaco. The top speed in the series is limited to 140 mph, so expect tight courses with relatively short straights.
Formula E will start out as a spec series, with all teams using the same cars. Aside from the driver, variables will be limited to chassis setup (alignment, spring rates, ride height, and damping) and a few aerodynamic tweaks. Formula E will transport all the cars to each event, making the series “arrive and drive,” like the amateur Skip Barber series. The eventual goal is to have every team construct its own car, as in F1.
McLaren Electronic Systems supplies the AC electric motor, called the “motor generator unit” (MGU) in Formula E parlance. The sequential gearbox comes from the British firm Hewland. The motor is capable of 268 horsepower, though in race spec it is limited to 178. Drivers have a predetermined number of 90-hp “push-to-pass” boosts at their disposal. In practice and qualifying, no power limits are imposed. Formula E estimates the cars will do zero-to-60 mph in less than three seconds.
French startup Spark Racing Technology will build 42 Spark-Renault SRT_01E cars for the 10 teams that are expected to compete in the inaugural season. The carbon-fiber and aluminum monocoque comes from Dallara, the Italian company that builds the IndyCar chassis. It has the high-nose look of an F1 car coupled with drag-reducing tire fairings, similar to those on the rear of IndyCars, at all four corners. Pushrod-operated, unequal-length control-arm suspensions with adjustable Koni dampers and anti-roll bars locate the O.Z.–made spec wheels. Michelin is the sole tire supplier. The combined minimum weight of car and driver is 1764 pounds, or about 350 pounds more than a Formula 1 car.
Top speed is limited to 140 mph.
Williams Advanced Engineering in England builds the battery, called a “rechargeable energy storage system” (RESS). Super capacitors will likely partner with the battery to aid in supplying power for short-term max acceleration. The RESS, including any capacitors, can weigh no more than 441 pounds and is permitted to discharge only 30 kWh of energy per race. That’s less energy than what’s in a gallon of unleaded. Formula E is a perfect place to test custom batteries, and there’s a good chance a breakthrough energy-storage device will debut here if the series is successful.
Unlike the three-day spectacle that is Formula 1, every Formula E event will take place in one day, with a one-hour practice followed by a four-lap qualifying session and a one-hour race. The one-day format limits the disruption of the host city Formula E has invaded. Expect to see these cars plugged into a high-voltage source anytime they’re sitting in the pits.
Each driver will pilot two cars during the hour-long race. No, you didn’t read that wrong. Twice each race, as per the rules, a driver must pit to “refuel” by jumping into a car with a fully charged battery. This isn’t going to be like Le Mans in the ’60s, where drivers would roar off without being fully belted. The cars must be stopped in the pits for a minimum of 30 seconds to ensure that all the safety equipment is properly engaged before reentering the race. While the practice of using two vehicles in one race may seem laughable, it’s commonplace in MotoGP, where riders change bikes if something mechanical goes wrong. Tires, however, must last the entire stint. A tire puncture is the lone exception to that rule.
- In Pursuit of Cold Milk: A Look at the New IndyCar
- The Physics of Diffusers: How to Make a Car Really Suck
- Feature: Kimi Räikkönen Is the Most Interesting Man in Formula 1
Both constructors’ and drivers’ championships will be awarded at the end of each season. The constructors’ championship tallies the results for each two-driver team, while a driver’s eight best finishes count toward the drivers’ championship.
There are 10 teams committed to run the series; the final team, Venturi Formula E, was announced today. Based in Monaco, the Venturi effort is a four-man partnership that includes the founder of its namesake EV maker and actor and renowned greenie Leonardo DiCaprio. The U.K.’s Drayson Racing has not only signed on for the inaugural season but has announced plans to run its own motor design in the 2015–16 season. Representing the U.S. are Dragon Racing and Andretti Autosport, the latter hoping for more success than boss Michael had in his Formula 1 career.
*Though plenty of fossil fuels will be consumed during the transportation of the cars, teams, and equipment.
No comments:
Post a Comment