Porsche became the fourth Formula E manufacturer to sign up to the championship’s new Gen3 rules that will be in play until the end of the 2025-26 season. The other three automotive manufactures are Mahindra, DS Automobiles and Nissan.
According to Autosport, Fritz Enzinger, vice president of Porsche Motorsport and senior vice president of motorsport at the Volkswagen Group, said: “With our entry in 2019, we made a clear commitment to Formula E.
“From our point of view, it offers the most competitive environment to advance the development of high-performance vehicles with a focus on eco-friendliness, energy efficiency and sustainability. The previous season confirmed this, despite the raft of pandemic-related restrictions.”
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Enzinger said the squad see potential to take the Formula E to the next level from a sporting and technological point of view. The commitment to the electric championship comes despite the German sportscar firm recently placing a “huge investment” in the development of synthetic fuels.
It should be noted the Gen3 rules will be introduced for the 2022-23 season and will mark the advent of in-race rapid charging pitstops of up to 600kW. Other major increases to the cars’ technical capabilities include a large gain in regenerative braking capacity, up from the current 250kW per lap to 600kW.
Car power will also rise to 350kW, the equivalent of 470bhp, while lighter batteries and smaller vehicle dimensions will contribute to a total 120kg weight reduction.
FIA president Jean Todt, who recently appeared on the Porsche ‘Inside E’ podcast, added: “I’m glad that Porsche has committed to the next era. Lighter, more powerful, with faster charging, the Gen3 race car will further establish the discipline as the pinnacle of electric racing. It’s also the confirmation that Formula E is the right platform to promote manufacturers’ expertise.”
Deadline
Manufacturers have until 31 March to register for the Gen3 regulations, although it is understood that this has evolved to become a soft deadline as Formula E works to maintain its current 12-team capacity.
Mercedes, for example, is expected to announce its participation for Gen3 ahead of a major logistical restructure that will consolidate its Formula E operations in Brackley.
Written by | Gabriel Sayago
