New Jaguar car for new Formula E season

Panasonic Jaguar Racing has unveiled its new electric Jaguar I-Type 3 second-generation Formula E race car.

The British team has also confirmed New Zealander Mitch Evans and Brazil’s Nelson Piquet Jr will race the cars in season five of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship.

Eleven teams will be at the opening race in Ad Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, on December 15.

The new Jaguar can reach 100km/h in 2.8 seconds.

Its new powertrain is 25% more efficient than last season’s I-Type 2 car and produces up to 250kW.

Improved battery technology allows all teams to drop the mandatory mid-race car swap.

Formula E will introduce “attack mode” this season for all teams which will enable drivers to race for a period at a higher power level of 225kW, activated as they drive through a clearly marked zone.

When drivers use attack mode, their LED halos (a new safety feature mandated by the FIA) will be illuminated in another colour to identify who is using the higher power level.

“Panasonic Jaguar Racing have made great progress during our short time in Formula E,” team director James Barclay says.

“We expect that the introduction of the new Generation 2 Formula E race car and revised sporting regulations will result in a very close season of racing.

“The technology is moving at an incredibly fast rate, and the new Generation 2 car will be an important test bed to help develop and drive performance of our future battery electric vehicles.”

Barclay says the combined knowledge, experience and speed of both drivers will help achieve the team’s goal to be in the points in every race and fighting for podium places.

Evans, driver #20, says, “Last season was our best to date and I scored some personal records including our first podium in Hong Kong and pole position in Zurich.”

He says the team has high expectations this season.

Nelson Piquet Jr, driver #3, says it’s amazing how fast things have changed.

“The new chassis is larger and faster than our previous race cars, so it will be very interesting to see how that impacts racing around the tight street circuits.”

The inaugural Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy series also starts later this year.

The world-first all-electric production race series will be the official support championship to the ABB FIA Formula E Championship and will see up to 20 Jaguar cars compete in the centre of a range of global cities.