Yahoo Autos McLaren Will Supply New Formula E Batteries With Double the Range
As Formula E becomes more and more popular, manufacturers are all trying to get in on the excitement. Just recently, British automaker Jaguar threw its hat in the ring with entering a car in the series, joining teams backed by Michelin, Andretti Autosport, and Renault. Now, McLaren's doing one step better-not just backing a single car, but the entire field.
According to an FIA announcement today, McLaren Applied Technologies, the high-tech engineering arm of the supercar and racing company, has been chosen to supply the batteries for the Formula E electric racing series for the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons.
According to The Verge, the sanctioning body picked McLaren from a group that included Porsche, Renault, Red Bull Technology, and Williams Advanced Engineering (the current battery supplier).
Back in March, the FIA announced it would switch to 54 kWh batteries, nearly double the capacity of the current 28 kWh units. This will eliminate the mid-race battery swap that's currently seen in Formula E races.
The new battery also means more power. Currently, the Williams-supplied battery generates 170kW of power. According to the FIA, the new replacement batteries for the next season should be pushing out around 220kW, a 30-percent increase in output. That means higher speeds and hopefully, excitement.
McLaren is no stranger to racing technology thanks to its extensive Formula 1 history. And because of all of its new developments in battery tech for racing and the street, McLaren should be in a great position to produce power units for Formula E.
You Might Also Like
