Formula E reveals radical new electric racer

Single-seater’s updated battery can run an entire race on one charge

Formula E 2018
The new Formula E car will debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March
(Image credit: Formula E)

The all-electric Formula E racing series has revealed its new single-seater competition car for the 2018/2019 season. It will be used by every team in the championship.

When the series enters its fifth season at the end of this year, the futuristic-looking racer will replace the first-generation car which has been in circulation since the championship began in 2014.

Instead of replicating the original car’s traditional single-seater silhouette, the new racer incorporates elements from Le Mans endurance prototypes, says Motorsport. New body panels cover the wheels and the car has a large diffuser at the back which generates aerodynamic grip at high speeds.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

One of the most striking additions to the second-generation car is the halo safety feature above the cockpit. It's designed to protect the driver’s head from flying debris and is mandatory for all teams, the website says.

According to The Verge, Formula E organisers may use LED strips on the halo, although it’s not yet known how this would work during a race.

Along with the revamped design, Top Gear says the new Formula E car has “double the energy storage capacity and twice the range” of its predecessor.

This means drivers will no longer have to swap cars mid-race, the website says, as the new racer now has enough battery power to last an entire race distance.

The new Formula E car will make its public debut at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, which runs from 8 to 18 March.