Jaguar Land Rover, luxury car
maker owned by Tata Motors and Britain’s largest R&D investor will be
participating in the 2016-17 season of FIA Formula E beginning in Hong Kong on
October 9, 2016 wherein it will support development of next generation electric
powered road cars ?
Panasonic Jaguar Racing will
make its FIA Formula E debut in the season opening race in Hong Kong’s iconic
central harbour-front district.
The British manufacturer is
hoping to extend its successful motor sport legacy that dates back to the 1950s
by entering a full manufacturer two-car team in Formula E, the all-electric single-seater
series that brings racing to the heart of some of the world’s greatest cities.
Beginning in Hong Kong,
British driver Adam Carroll, 33, and New Zealander Mitch Evans, 22, will race
Panasonic Jaguar Racing’s first all-electric Jaguar racecar, the I-TYPE, in the
14-round series which will conclude in Montreal in July 2017.
Jaguar’s Formula E programme
will create tangible R&D benefits for the electrification of future Jaguar
Land Rover road cars and is designed around the team’s founding principle, Race
to Innovate.
Formula E races last 50
minutes and includes a mandatory pit stop, in which drivers switch to a second
car adding another element to the exciting competition. Drivers face unique
challenges in Formula E as they have to manage battery consumption and
regeneration of the battery to maintain charge throughout the race.
Manufacturers can design their
own powertrains, which includes the motor, transmission, inverter and the rear
suspension. Common components across all teams include the carbon fibre chassis
and battery to help control costs. The
focus is on developing electric vehicle powertrains.
Panasonic Jaguar Racing’s
I-TYPE features an MGU (Motor Generated Unit) with a maximum power output of
200kW and with a maximum speed of 140mph. Power is delivered via a paddle shift
sequential gearbox.
Beyond its all-electric
concept, Formula E is also unique in the world of motorsport for its choice of
venues. Every round, bar one in Mexico, takes place on street circuits, in the
centre of major cities. Track action, including practice, qualifying and
racing, takes place in a single day, apart from at the two-day double-header
races in New York and the season-finale in Montreal.