Electric racing pt1 Why car makers love Formula E

Formula E allows car manufacturers to test and showcase their electric tech fairly cheaply on the race track. No wonder they’re rushing to sign up, James Attwood says

However you measure it, Formula E has been one of the big motorsport success stories of recent years. In fact, at the start of only its fourth season, you can make a compelling case that the all-electric singleseater series is the most successful motorsport championship currently running – ahead of Formula 1.

Start with the manufacturers flocking to the series: the 2016/17 season featured manufacturerbacked entries from Renault, Audi, DS and Jaguar. This season, Audi has raised its commitment to a full works entry, while BMW will increase its support of Andretti-autosport, then become a full powertrain manufacturer in 2018/19 when Mercedes-benz and Porsche also join the grid. It’s not all one-way traffic: Renault is leaving after 2017/18, but only as a rebranding exercise so that sister firm Nissan can compete.

That will make seven major car firms involved, with others – including Ferrari – taking a close look. For comparison, Formula 1 has four powertrain manufacturers. There are three manufacturers in the World Rally Championship and just one (Toyota) left in the top LMP1 Le Mans class.

Formula E’s appeal to car firms is obvious: electrification. The series can serve as a learning ground and a showcase, painting EVS in a performance context. ‘Conventional’ motorsport offers relatively little track-to-road technology transfer, but it’s a reality in Formula E. Manufacturers are learning about battery technology and challenges such as managing temperature and maintaining life.

Another major appeal is Formula E’s clear growth plan and technology roadmap, which slowly opens up powertrain development as electric car racing technology develops. In its first year, Formula E was effectively a one-make championship, with new areas of powertrain and battery development being gradually freed up. The next big leap is set to come in 2018/19, when a switch from 28kwh to 54kwh batteries will mean more usable energy is on tap, allowing drivers to complete races in one car, rather than switch to a car with a fully charged battery midway through the race, as they do now.

The framework for the technical rules has given manufacturers the confidence that they can enter on a relatively level playing field. It also, crucially, makes Formula E relatively cheap: a season currently costs a fraction of the works budget for Le Mans, let alone F1. And a franchise system for grid spots has accelerated manufacturer take-up. There’s been a race to enter before the grid is full.

Formula E enjoys strong support from the FIA, motorsport’s governing body, and an enviable line-up of city-centre street races where noise concerns rule out

traditional racing cars but not quiet EVS. So, for relatively low outlay, a car firm can compete in a highprofile ‘green’ racing championship, showcase cutting-edge technology and feed learning back into road car development. Given how little Formula E costs compared with other motorsport categories, it’s an absolute bargain.

So the appeal is obvious, but there are some warning flags over whether that growth can be sustained – and whether the unprecedented manufacturer influx could actually harm Formula E. The first concern is that manufacturer competition usually drives up costs, both on-track and in off-track marketing and hospitality spend. Motorsport is ultimately a marketing activity and the biggest benefits generally go to those manufacturers whose cars win races, or those doing the most to promote their participation.

Manufacturers are attracted by competition, but not every car firm can win. A quick look through the history of motorsport will highlight numerous examples of ‘boom and bust’ cycles: car firms flock to a series, ramp up costs beyond a sustainable level and quit when they can’t get a return on their investment.

Whether Formula E can avoid that will depend on series bosses ensuring manufacturers can’t achieve on-track success simply through outspending rivals. And, in turn, ensuring those manufacturers don’t just spend money elsewhere. Because, no matter what limits are put in place, manufacturers usually find something to spend money on.

Perhaps Formula E’s biggest challenge, though, is that the rapid growth in manufacturer interest seemingly hasn’t been matched by a rise in public interest. Races are well-attended, but some of that can be attributed to novelty factor and their enviable locations. Television viewing figures in the UK have been solid but not spectacular, despite terrestrial coverage on ITV and Channel 5 in its first three seasons and offering entertaining, close racing. Last year, the races averaged around 280,000 viewers on Channel

5, below what the channel usually draws in those timeslots. This year, British Eurosport will also show live races, although additional coverage on a specialist channel is unlikely to grow the audience any further.

Formula E is still an incredibly young championship, and it takes time to develop a heritage and identity. For manufacturers, it’s obvious: Formula E is a proving ground for electric technology. But once the novelty of watching EVS race has worn off, what’s the selling point to make the public tune in? Ignore the fact that the cars are electric and you could argue Formula E features good but not great drivers racing not particularly quick single-seaters.

Manufacturer promotion and marketing spend will help. But that costs money and manufacturers will want a return on investment.

Make no mistake, Formula E is an incredible success story. When announced, the viability of an electric single-seater series was questioned, but it came at the ideal time for car firms looking to promote electrification programmes.

The rapid growth in manufacturer entries could quickly make Formula E as prestigious as any championship outside of F1. But if those firms end up driving up costs, it could instead badly damage what remains a start-up championship – and one at the cutting edge of motorsport technology. And if these costs fall out of step with public interest, Formula E could yet find itself falling flat.

It costs a fraction of the works budget for Le Mans, let alone F1