E for experience

This story first appeared in the April issue of AutoTalk – CLICK HERE to download the magazine FREE

What will the future of motorsport be? While racing cars is still an activity intrinsically paired with petrol and noise, will that always be the case?
It is a question Formula E is attempting to answer.

The series, now in its fourth iteration, is trying to bring alternative power and electric performance to the masses – and arguably those with a more green bent – back towards a sport which may have seemed anathema to them previously.

EVtalk got the chance to check out Formula E as part of its trip to Hong Kong last month for the Nissan Futures event.

It tied in nicely with Nissan’s entry into the series, taking over the eDams team from its alliance mate Renault and bringing the brand of the top-selling electric vehicle in the world to the halo sport.

“Bringing together the Hong Kong E-Prix with Nissan Futures was a great opportunity for Nissan to highlight our commitment to electric mobility,” Michael Carcamo, Nissan’s global motorsports director.

The Hong Kong race did not ultimately go well for the brand.

Both drivers showed great pace, but Sebastien Buemi ended up out with a suspension issue.

Oliver Rowland was initially leading, but an impact knocked the full course yellow speed-limiter button on his car, slowing him.

He later also ended up with a mechanical issue.

“While we are disappointed with today’s result, our pace in the past three races has been exceptional, and we will keep working hard when we are back on track in Sanya, in China, in two weeks,” Carcamo noted after the race.

The bigger question for us is, does Formula E put on a racing experience that will continue to attract fans.And can it draw interest from the all popular formula one and touring car racing.

Well sort of.Kiwis have the additional attraction of homegrown motorsport talents the Evans brothers, Mitch in Formula E, Simon in the supporting Jaguar I-Pace series.

As far as an on-site experience the Formula E circus has something incredibly right.It has a strong fan zone, with stands from partnering brands, all focused on electric vehicle technology, clean energy and so forth.This is great, though it was well separated from the racing and on a damp Hong Kong day a little empty and sterile.

What was not sterile was the pit environment.While Formula 1 pits are primarily locked away from the racing public, the tents that house each Formula E team and its two cars are busy and open.The crowds are encouraged to get up close – and I mean inches from the cars – as they are prepared for the race.It is a brilliant way to engage with those attending.

That is alongside the other hallmark of the highly publicised fan boost voting system.

Now, of course, this many electric vehicles require a lot of power and the temporary street circuits used for the series are not necessarily wired to cope.

Instead, the series brings its power along, using specially built generators powered by relatively clean glycerine.

You can drink this fuel, and the harmful emissions its burning creates are minimal.The easily shippable generators produce 840kW, enough to power 2000 homes.

The temporary track situation is more problematic.

Yes, Formula 1 used street circuits, but its budget means elaborate build outs that provide for a wide track and solid views for spectators.

In Hong Kong, the narrowness and layout made it a little tricky to watch in person, and also became part of the race due to frequent crashes.
Yes, we like to watch injury-free wrecks sometimes in motorsport, but it shouldn’t take away from the flow of the event.

I would love to see how these cars perform on a proper circuit, as they are impressive.This is the first season where the cars can complete the full racing without a swap to a charged car.

The Spark SR05E chassis and 54kWh battery – the latter supplied by McLaren applied technologies – are mostly the same across the field.

Teams can design and add their motors and control systems – focusing on the items most likely to relate to their road car developments.

They are impressive beasts.Motors can provide up to 250kW, although standard race output is 200kW.

A minimum weight of 900kw, 350kg of which is the battery, means they are rocket ships.

They are anything but quiet, sounding like a demon-possessed slot car when under acceleration.

Compared to a Formula 1 car they are also tough, looking like they take a knock better and keep on going.

On the day, Jean-Éric Vergne won the race, and ultimately I think Formula E will triumph in the global sphere of motorsports.

As an experience, it is not yet perfect, but the cars are great and the fan involvement welcome.

As with the electric car fleet, it can only grow.