Formula E’s Lucas di Grassi walks and talks through the key features of the Spark-Renault SRT_01E all electric race car.
Standout design elements include the low profile wheels and all weather Michelin tyres. Come rain or shine, no matter if it’s hot or cold, Formula E will use one tyre throughout the races, unlike in Formula One where tyre changes often make up a large part of teams decision making during a race with changeable weather. The tyres have also been designed with an extremely low rolling resistance, meaning that as little energy as possible is lost through the action of rolling on the surface of the road.
The gearbox is a six speed box, to allow for the massive torque to be transferred to the rear wheels without shredding drive shafts. Drivers have many controls on the steering wheel which will be largely alien to the majority of seasoned professional drivers. These include torque limiting to aid in traction where needed and adjustable regeneration, allowing drivers to control how much power is going back into the batteries when braking. Lastly, the steering wheel features power limitation for instances where drivers have been over zealous and need to hone down the power to reach the end of the course.
The very wide width is explained too, as it is essential for housing the hefty 200 kilo battery pack and cooling too. Aerodynamics are an interesting feature on the car too with the front wing design which directs the flow of air over the front wheels, reducing drag by a huge 10%.
Lucas di Grassi says he is sure all electric racing will be the future.
Video source; Qualcomm
