Updating the future on and off the track
While Formula E cars may look like the latest version of the Batmobile, the series begins its fifth season in December with some serious contenders.
Automakers Audi, BMW, and Jaguar are gearing up for the opener in Saudi Arabia.
Nissan, the world’s leading maker of electric cars, will be debuting its entry into the ABBsponsored FIA Formula E Championship.
After four years of street circuit racing around the globe, competitors in Formula E will introduce their second generation cars with a host of updates — mainly double the energy storage so the cars can stay out on the track longer.
In past years, the cars ran out of power during the race so the drivers would come in and hop into a fully-charged racer and continue.
The power plants in this new generation will feature 250 kW (about 300 horsepower) which will allow acceleration of 0-100 km/h in just under three seconds and a top speed of 280 km/h.
Panasonic Jaguar Racing announced its new entry has redeveloped its entire powertrain.
The motor generation unit (MGU) ), silicon carbide module invertor, transmission, cooling system, motor control unit
(MCU) and new powertrain control software on the swoopy Jaguar will contribute to MGU revs in excess of 30,000 rpm.
Developed entirely in-house, the Jaguar I-Type 3 also features enough battery energy to fully charge 5,000 cellphones.
Nissan’s Formula E entry is its first move back into a major international racing category since it abandoned its LMP1 road racing project at the end of 2015. The Japanese-based effort is the first non-European entry into the series.
“Nissan is bringing a lot to the table with our expertise in EV technology for the road and bringing it to the race track,” said Michael Carcamo, Nissan’s global motorsport director.
“The level of competition in the Formula E championship is on the rise, and we’re eagerly awaiting the unique engineering challenge ahead.
“We’re entering the championship
on a level playing field this year,” he said, “with every manufacturer competing with a brand-new car, battery and powertrain combination.”
The other teams, including the Andretti Autosport BMW, 2017 series champ Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler, and Monte Carlobased Venturi team which holds the electric vehicle land speed record of 341 m.p.h. set on the Bonneville Salt Flats in 2016, will all debut updated and more powerful race cars for the upcoming 12-race season.
While traditionalists scoff at race cars without engines, Formula E is opening the door with a peek at not only the future of racing, but personal transportation as well.
And major automakers are making a serious commitment to this future.
“This season, it’s about moving from a regular points team to a regular podium team,” said James Barclay, team director at Panasonic Jaguar Racing.
Jaguar placed sixth last season.
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The local tracks still open are conducting their season-enders this weekend. Flamboro Speedway will be holding its annual Frostoberfest Weekend with two days of racing on the thirdmile oval.
There will be racing action Saturday for the OSCAAR Mods and Pro Midgets, plus qualifying for the Super Stock and Mini Stock divisions for their features on Sunday.
Then on Sunday, the Supers Stocks will run a pair of 50-lappers, as will the Mini Stocks.
And Grisdale Enterprises will present three 50-lap features for the Pro Late Model division. Racing both days starts at 3 p.m.
The final NASCAR Pinty’s Series race will be held at Jukasa Motor Speedway this Saturday.
The Pinty’s Fall Brawl will be a 200-lap feature on the refurbished oval. There will also be a 50-lap Limited Late Model feature. The green flag is scheduled to drop at 5:30 p.m.
For drag racing fans, the Cayuga Dragway at Toronto Motorsports Park hosts the final round of the newly-formed Drag Syndicate, which has taken over the reins of the former OSCA (Ontario Street Car Association).
Racing at the strip both Saturday and Sunday will provide everything from Junior Dragsters to a bevy of street classes to Top Dragster and Top Sportsman entries.