As is logical, Formula E is looking ahead, and the technical roadmap for Gen 4 is already well-defined.
In Appendix V, the technical roadmap, in the “Registration procedure for car manufacturers” section, we can already see that everything remains unchanged for Seasons 13 and 14, while for Seasons 15 and 16 there could be battery updates thanks to the implementation of the P60 cell, which was released too late to complete validations for the S13 and S14 batteries in time.
This cell represents a drop-in replacement for the current cell chosen for S13 and S14, being its natural evolution.
However, it is with S17 and S18 that the battery takes off in terms of evolution.
Specifically, two possible scenarios are envisioned, starting from the current 55 kWh battery, evolving in two different directions: the first option leads to a weight saving of 80 kg while maintaining the same amount of onboard energy, while the second aims to keep the car’s weight unchanged at 980 kg while increasing the battery to 66 kWh.
Talking to some drivers, it was hypothesized that this dual scenario could lead to more specialized batteries, allowing manufacturers to explore the fundamental aspects of electric vehicle technological development—namely, fast charging and energy density—two aspects that, however, require differently engineered cells.
Some drivers have hypothesized using the lightweight battery for qualifying and races with pit boost, and using the more energy-efficient battery for races without pit stops.
Moving forward with the hypotheses, however, and considering Gen5, the possibility of a gradual battery liberalization has been discussed.
Today, a complete and immediate liberalization is unthinkable, both because development costs would become extremely high and because any team with a cell significantly superior to its competitors would become untouchable, making the races boring to watch.
The scenario envisioned is a panel of tender winners from which teams could then choose which company to develop the car with.
The safety, weight, volume, and homologation constraints would remain firm and constant, guaranteeing the proverbial safety of Formula E batteries in races (153 races completed and 0 battery-related problems), while leaving freedom for the components and internal organization of the battery pack.
This solution would allow the entry of more cell manufacturers, which would not only bring the latest technologies to Formula E but would also allow large industrial companies to financially support the series by presenting themselves as “engine suppliers” and bringing significant sponsorships.
#SimoneRambaldi #theEMNteam
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