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DS Penske Champions To Chase the Formula E World Title in New E-TENSE FE23

Formula E turns up the heat with the Gen3 race cars. DS Penske announced its new weapon for the 2023 season, the DS E-TENSE FE23, to fight for the crowns of driver’s and constructor’s champions. The Gen3 racer is lighter and more powerful than the previous generation of electric single-seaters.
DS Automobiles E-TENSE FE23 13 photos
Photo: fiaformulae.com
DS Penske E-TENSE FE23DS Penske E-TENSE FE23DS Penske E-TENSE FE23DS Penske E-TENSE FE23DS Penske E-TENSE FE23DS Penske E-TENSE FE23DS Penske E-TENSE FE23DS Penske E-TENSE FE23DS Penske E-TENSE FE23DS Penske E-TENSE FE23DS Penske E-TENSE FE23Stoffel Vandoorne (L) and Jean-Eric Vergne (R)
A surreal 40% of the energy used during a race comes from the car’s brakes – contradictory as it may sound, the 600 kW regens on the front and rear axles can reclaim almost half the electric power required to complete a race.

The four-wheel-drive cars from the Stellantis-backed team brake away from hydraulic brakes on the rear wheels – regenerative braking is the trend for Gen3 vehicles. Just one day before the DS unveiling of their 2023 car, Jaguar TCS Racing showed off their new model, featuring a similar platform layout: electric braking on the rear, energy recovery on both axles, more power, and less weight.

DS  Penske’s E-TENSE FE23 is 132 lbs (60 kg) lighter than its predecessor, which means higher top speeds – 165 mph (280 kph). While the electric racing division under the Stellantis umbrella claims that “the Gen3 cars are the fastest-ever seen in the Formula E World Championship,” this argument only holds water as far as DS is concerned. Jaguar’s lightning-eating felines, the I-TYPE 6, boast a terminal velocity of 200 mph (332 kph), almost 25% over the DS-stated ratings.

However, the two cars share an identical power split between the regens on the two axles: 250 kW on the front and 350 kW at the rear. Still, judging from their statement, it would appear that Stellantis missed the Jaguar press release because the former claimed the following: “Finally, thanks to the new front drivetrain, the Gen3 is the first Formula E car without hydraulic rear brakes.” Jaguar made the same announcement regarding their Gen3 I-TYPE 6 just 24 hours before.

The similes do not end there – the maximum rated power output is also 350 kW (the Stellantis-supported electric racing team does not mention whether this is the Attack mode score, but it would be safe to assume it is). In addition to the new cars, DS Penske made significant changes in the driver line-up, signing up the reigning champion Stoffel Vandoorne alongside the only two-time Formula E champion, Jean-Eric Vergne.
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About the author: Razvan Calin
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After nearly two decades in news television, Răzvan turned to a different medium. He’s been a field journalist, a TV producer, and a seafarer but found that he feels right at home among petrolheads.
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