Formula E – The Future of Racing
We’ve all heard of Formula One – it’s the most prestigious racing event in the world, taking place across a number of countries, and involving some of the best drivers that the racing world has ever seen. But with the growing concerns of the usage of fossils fuels, and the ever increasing price, many have realised that Formula One can’t last forever, which is why many are turning to the next best option: Formula E.
In essence, Formula E is very much the same as its petroleum counterparts. There are drivers, cars, teams, and tracks. The only real difference is what powers the cars themselves. In this case, everything is done with electricity. And while there is a lot of stigma surrounding the power of electrical motors, the latest generation of Formula E cars prove that they’re a match for Formula One in almost every way, which will be reflected by betting sites as the Eprix scene grows.
The First Electric Car
A French designer by the name of Frederic Vasseur unveiled the world’s first Eprix car in 2008. It was enough to earn the attention of Formula E Holdings, who bought the technology, and then commissioned Vasseur and his company to begin designing the cars for future series. The group behind the design and production of these cars come from the legendary McLaren team, who have since been hard at work producing the standard of electric car for the racing circuit.
How Do The Cars Work?
Much like F1 cars, Formula E cars are designed to maximise their aerodynamic efficiency, allowing them to reach their top speeds as quickly as possible, while maintaining their ability to corner and overtake at high speeds. While much of the car is standardised, such as the carbon/aluminium honeycomb cell that surrounds the driver, most teams are free to choose the other components, such as the suspension and breaks.
The battery is used to store the charge that the motor uses to keep the wheels spinning. All competing teams are required to use a standard battery developed by Williams Advanced Engineering, which consists of 200KG of lithium ion cells.
All batteries within the cars have the same amount of charge as around 300 laptops or 4000 mobile phones. The duration of the battery depends largely on the racing style of the driver, but in general, each battery lasts for roughly 30 minutes before requiring a recharge. Drivers will need to make pit stops along the way, where the driver will need to swap out to a new battery. While plans are in the works to change how this system works, currently the batteries tend to be sealed in the car, making it impossible to swap them out during a pit stop.
The Top Speeds
Due to the lowered weight and surprisingly powerful motors, Formula E cars can reach maximum speeds of around 225 kilometres per hour. While it’s not quite on the same level of speed as F1, further developments will one day see the two on equal ground.