Ever since man discovered that he could ride, whether it be the horse or the first automobile, man has raced. Would you expect anything less of electric vehicles?
A new racing league, with the tenth and final team, has finally come into existence. The French FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile), the regulatory body behind the race, has approved the Formula E racing series, featuring open wheel electric vehicles that look just like their ICE-powered (internal combustion engine) counterparts. On the other hand, these electric vehicle racers sound nothing at all like a race car. Even restricted to 25% power output, for the test runs, these racers sound like the future…
Electric vehicle racers have already been making waves in the racing community, such as at the 24 Hours of LeMans and Pike’s Peak. They are proving to be just as powerful and speedy as their dinosaur drinking counterparts. We know that people will never give up racing, but could this be the beginning of green racing? Might we soon see electric vehicle monster trucks and NASCAR races? Tesla Motors is already lined up to race the Daytona 500 in 2015!
Each electric vehicle in Formula E weighs in at 1,763lb and is powered by a 270hp electric motor. During racing, the electric motor is limited to 180hp, a top speed of about 140mph, but full power can be used during practice, qualifying, and a “push-to-pass” feature while racing. Unlike Formula 1 racing, where pits stops include tire changes, refueling, and other adjustments, Formula E racers will simply swap into a freshly-charged replacement vehicle. The new electric vehicle racing series will run from September, 2014, through June, 2015, in Beijing, Malaysia, Rio de Janeiro, Uruguay, Buenas Aires, Los Angeles, Miami, Monte Carlo, Berlin, and London.
Image © FIA Formula E (Screenshot)
