Racing into the future with the ABB FIA Formula E Championship

This story first appeared in the november issue of evtalk CLICK HERE to download the magazine FREE

The ABB FIA Formula E Championship is a versatile platform for testing and demonstrating e-mobility electrification and digitalisation technologies.

This annual event has 22 drivers racing in advanced electric race cars with the championship running since Beijing in 2014 and title-partnered by ABB since January 2018.

The sound of silence

Perhaps the most notable aspect of ABB Formula E is the lack of noise.

Since its inception, ABB Formula E has taken a radically different approach by adopting battery-powered cars driven by high-efficiency electric powertrains that use some of the world’s most advanced e-mobility technology driving on city-centre racetracks around the globe.

From strength to strength

In under five years, ABB Formula E has blossomed from a start-up into a sporting property of such relevance that major car manufacturers are keen to flaunt their e-mobility credentials.

Already the likes of Audi, BMW, Nissan and Jaguar have leading teams, soon to be joined by Porsche and Mercedes-Benz.

The championship is flourishing because of its relevance in helping meet concerns about sustainability, energy efficiency, pollution and urban congestion.

Putting the ‘E’ into ABB Formula E

Each of the 11 two-car, two-driver, teams competes with their own variant of the same basic machine – an open-cockpit single-seater built around an impact-resistant and highly protective carbon-fibre monocoque which cocoons the driver.

Better batteries

The cars’ batteries are built and supplied by McLaren Applied Technologies (MAT) – a sister company of the McLaren racing team.

The battery’s increased capacity and efficiency allows ABB Formula E cars to complete a full race distance on a single charge.

Over the first four seasons of racing, technological limitations meant that drivers would drive half the race in one car then swap to an identical machine with a full battery.

This drew attention to a specific consumer hesitancy that has hindered widespread EV adoption – range anxiety.
The Gen2 car’s bigger battery pack counters that concern, however, thanks to a 95% energy increase for a 20% weight gain.

MAT’s Gen2 battery pack was developed mainly for temperature management.

Its internal lithium cells are highly sensitive to temperature.
Too cool and efficiency is not optimised, too hot and output life suffers.

Technology test platform

ABB Formula E provides an ideal rigorous environment in which companies can put their new technology through its paces.

All cars incorporate regenerative braking systems that harvest significant energy.
Each car’s “regen balance” was controlled by the driver, but electronic control introduced for season five enhanced the process.

This is the kind of sophisticated energy management technology that is invaluable to car manufacturers in developing class-leading road models.

Taking charge

ABB brought its technical expertise to the Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy series that supports ABB Formula E.

The race-prepared version is powered at the trackside by custom-made variants of ABB’s Terra 53 DC charger.

To meet the demands for a charger that could be both mobile at racetracks and easily transported between them, ABB commissioned a team of its engineers to reconfigure a standard Terra unit into a smaller package, with wheels, for easy freighting and maneuverability.

Season six starts on November 22 and 23 with the Diriyah E-Prix in Saudi Arabia and ends in London on July 25 and 26 next year.