Photo: TEOS Powertrain Engineering
The Formula E series was initially met with plenty of skepticism, but it has since proven it can provide the audience with levels of excitement that are directly opposed to those of the sound made by its race cars.
Meant as a way of promoting the use of electric powertrains for everyday cars, the Formula E has managed to draw in important names in the business, and more and more carmakers are linked with possible entries over the next seasons.
FIA isn't resting on its laurels and is seeking new ways of making the championship even more exciting over the next years. This March, it has issued an open call for new chassis and battery designs that, once approved, would see action in the fifth season starting in 2018.
There have already been some entries, but some were pure fantasy while others have not been made public. This one, however, signed by a group of companies led by TEOS Powertrain Engineering (which builds engines for the GP3 series), looks like a valid attempt.
The current Formula E cars are very similar to the Formula One single-seaters, and while that isn't a bad thing in itself, it does little to set the series apart from its more illustrious relative. TEOS Powertrain Engineering's proposal isn't anything radical either, but it does take some design cues from the Le Mans endurance racers and mixes them with the existing car. The result is an open hybrid with an aerodynamic windshield (which would also be great for protection), covered wheels and a noticeable absence of a large wing.
Of course we'd all like to see entries that are closer to Daniel Simon's designs for Roborace - the autonomous racing series which is about to debut soon - but because these cars have to accommodate a driver, they also need to provide enough protection in case of a crash, so some resemblances to what we're used to calling "cars" have to be maintained.
We don't know of any schedule set by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile for announcing a winner, but more could be revealed during next week's Word Motor Sports Council meeting. Let's hope for the best.
FIA isn't resting on its laurels and is seeking new ways of making the championship even more exciting over the next years. This March, it has issued an open call for new chassis and battery designs that, once approved, would see action in the fifth season starting in 2018.
There have already been some entries, but some were pure fantasy while others have not been made public. This one, however, signed by a group of companies led by TEOS Powertrain Engineering (which builds engines for the GP3 series), looks like a valid attempt.
The current Formula E cars are very similar to the Formula One single-seaters, and while that isn't a bad thing in itself, it does little to set the series apart from its more illustrious relative. TEOS Powertrain Engineering's proposal isn't anything radical either, but it does take some design cues from the Le Mans endurance racers and mixes them with the existing car. The result is an open hybrid with an aerodynamic windshield (which would also be great for protection), covered wheels and a noticeable absence of a large wing.
Of course we'd all like to see entries that are closer to Daniel Simon's designs for Roborace - the autonomous racing series which is about to debut soon - but because these cars have to accommodate a driver, they also need to provide enough protection in case of a crash, so some resemblances to what we're used to calling "cars" have to be maintained.
We don't know of any schedule set by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile for announcing a winner, but more could be revealed during next week's Word Motor Sports Council meeting. Let's hope for the best.
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