Nissan is the latest manufacturer to join the upstart FIA Formula E electric car racing series. Nissan is the first Japanese automaker to join the series, and they are making the jump at a crucial time for the new series.
Nissan is joining the electric open-wheel racing series for season five. That's expected to start at the end of 2018. Season four starts this December and runs until next summer. The series runs around the world, including a stop in Montreal.
Nissan isn't giving many details about their Formula E effort just yet, but season five will see some big changes. The first is an all-new car. Spark Racing, who developed the original car, is releasing a new chassis with improved technology and a new look.
The other challenge is going the distance. Current Formula E cars only need to go half race distance. There is a pit stop in the middle for drivers to change cars. It makes for strange racing and does nothing to help consumer range anxiety. With the new car, the battery size increases and the cars will need to (and be able to) finish the full race distance. Car power increases too, from 180 kw to 250, or about 335 hp.
Nissan is just the latest of a number of automakers to announce they are joining the series this year. Porsche and BMW said earlier this year they are joining the series. Porsche for season six and BMW in season five. Jaguar is up and running in the series now, and Mercedes-Benz is on board as well, joining Audi and Renault in the series.
Jaguar also announced that a single-make I-Pace SUV electric series will join Formula E as a support race starting this season.
"To have a name like Nissan coming on board is a momentous day for the series," said Alejandro Agag, the founder and CEO of Formula E. "Not only is it great to welcome a new manufacturer to the Formula E family – it’s great to see our first Japanese manufacturer entering the frame, showing truly how global the electric revolution is."
With this latest announcement, electric vehicle racing is really starting to - pardon the pun - charge up.
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