There has been a great deal of excitement in the motoring world since the official announcement of the FIA Electric Racing Championship in 2012. Professional designers and engineers have come together in the creation of a fully electric racing vehicle which meets the standards outlined by the sport’s governing body.
The Formula E car has been a product of collaboration amongst the biggest names in motorsport. The McLaren team have taken responsibility for the creation of the electric motor, transmission and vehicle electronics. William’s Advanced Engineering team have developed the 200kw batteries which will generate the equivalent of 270bhp. Other essential components have been contributed by Michelin and O.Z Racing.
French Automaker Renault Out in Front
Knowledgeable racing fans may not be surprised to hear that Renault have developed the first vehicle to be officially accepted into the Formula E racing Championship. Their experienced engineers teamed up with the Spark team in the development of the SRT-01E.
This uniquely styled vehicle has clearly been built for ultimate electric performance. It features a streamlined monocoque chassis and advanced suspension, ideal for the street circuits which will play host to Formula E’s races later in the year.
It is expected that teams such as Virgin Racing, Super Agurri and Andretti Autosport will unveil different versions of the electric vehicle over the next few months.
The engineers will be applying the essential finishing touches and then gearing up for races on the tracks of Miami, Los Angeles and London. Motoring enthusiasts will be looking forward to seeing stars such as Takuma Sato and Bruno Senna compete for the electric world championship title.
The Formula E Championship is set to begin in September this year. Are you looking forward to seeing how fully-electric races will compare to their gas-guzzling counterparts? Let us know in the comments below.