THE JAPANESE CHALLENGE

WHILE THE GERMAN ARMADA heading towards Formula E is getting a lot of attention, the might of corporate Japan will also soon be ensuring that Asia is pitching squarely into the manufacturer battle.

Nissan will become the first Japanese entrant into FE, as it takes over the entry of sister brand Renault for season five, bringing, in the words of series CEO Alejandro Agag, “a huge element to the championship – a huge plus. We are really happy that they are coming in.”

As with all its manufacturer peers, Nissan has been drawn to Formula E by the potential for showcasing its EV technology in a racing environment. Its Nissan Leaf model is the world’s biggest-selling electric car, with more than 300,000 sold so far, and the introduction for season five of a battery that will last a full race distance has removed any corporate concerns over EV ‘range anxiety’ engendered by the spectacle of mid-race car swaps.

Nissan global motorsports director Michael Carcamo says: “For us Formula E is about innovation – we don’t race just to race. We race because racing is exciting and innovative. You put those together with the ‘Generation Two’ Formula E car for season five and it really starts to hit all the right marks for us.

“Now is the right time. We have increased battery time with the Gen2 car, more power, and that’s all in one with road-car technology. So Formula E is a great showcase for us to talk about what we actually do – and have been doing – on the road and bringing it to the streets.

“The racing is where people can see the emotional part about EVS. I think that’s something that we still need to do a lot of work on to convince people that EVS are a great alternative.”