Motorsports has always been a way for manufacturers to develop and test out new technologies, and these technologies have constantly impacted the cars on our roads. High-level motorsports – such as Formula One, and more recently Formula E – has always been a way of testing new technologies for road cars.
Mahindra is just one such example. Having been a manufacturer of electric vehicles for 18 years, according to team principal Dilbagh Gill, being a part of the racing series has helped jump-start their experience with more powerful vehicles and to plan for a new round of more upscale consumer EVs. The motorsport has further exposed Mahindra to carbon fibre and composites construction and applications.
Formula E is the world’s first fully-electric international single-seater street racing series and has become a way for technology partners such as Williams Advanced Engineering, as well as manufacturers including Nissan, Jaguar Land Rover, Audi and BMW to develop new solutions for electric road cars. James Barclay, team director at Panasonic Jaguar Racing explains: “ABB FIA Formula E has been central to Jaguar Land Rover’s move towards electrification…The Formula E programme will generate tangible R&D benefits, with the technology developed and lessons learned on the race track helping to accelerate the electrification of future Jaguar Land Rover road cars.”
Changing Perspectives:
Formula E is not only leading the development and adaptation of the technology we see in our road cars, but it’s starting to change perceptions of electric vehicles by showcasing that if electric racing cars look that cool, then consumer electric cars can be just as impressive. The sport is showing people that electric cars aren’t boring or slow.
