Photo: Nissan
Renault has been involved with the Formula E from the competition's very first season, but it couldn't compete as a factory-owned team before the second one in 2015-2016.
Under the Renault e.dams name, it has won multiple constructor titles and also nailed the drivers' crown twice through Sebastien Buemi, so its involvement with the all-electric championship has been successful. Now, though, it looks set to come to an end as alliance partner Nissan announced it would join Formula E for its fifth season, starting later next year.
"As the ultimate expression of the thrill of instant acceleration and agile handling that's at the heart of Nissan zero-emission driving, Nissan is going to electrify the Formula E championship," said Daniele Schillaci, executive vice president of global marketing and sales, zero-emission vehicles and battery business, and chairman of Nissan's management committee for Japan, Asia and Oceania. "Nissan will be the first Japanese brand to enter this growing championship, bringing our long history of motorsports success to the Formula E grid. It will give us a global platform for bringing our pioneering Nissan Intelligent Mobility strategy to a new generation of racing fans."
This would suggest the two members of the alliance (which now also includes Mitsubishi) have decided to prioritize Nissan's EV efforts over the French manufacturer's, and given the recent launch of the LEAF, it would be a reasonable decision.
However, an announcement from Renault makes things a bit more complicated to read. It claimed the French would be focusing on their Formula 1 ambitions, but it's not clear whether this is what caused the Formula E exit, or it's just a consequence of it.
"After season four [2017/18] we will focus resources on our aggressive goals for Formula 1 and we look forward to continuing to gain benefits from motorsport racing across the alliance with Nissan," Thierry Koskas, Groupe Renault executive vice president of sales and marketing told Autosport.
Nissan's first Formula E race will take place in the second part of next year and will mark the first entrance of a Japanese manufacturer. That is unless others decide to join the fast-growing competition in the meantime.
"As the ultimate expression of the thrill of instant acceleration and agile handling that's at the heart of Nissan zero-emission driving, Nissan is going to electrify the Formula E championship," said Daniele Schillaci, executive vice president of global marketing and sales, zero-emission vehicles and battery business, and chairman of Nissan's management committee for Japan, Asia and Oceania. "Nissan will be the first Japanese brand to enter this growing championship, bringing our long history of motorsports success to the Formula E grid. It will give us a global platform for bringing our pioneering Nissan Intelligent Mobility strategy to a new generation of racing fans."
This would suggest the two members of the alliance (which now also includes Mitsubishi) have decided to prioritize Nissan's EV efforts over the French manufacturer's, and given the recent launch of the LEAF, it would be a reasonable decision.
However, an announcement from Renault makes things a bit more complicated to read. It claimed the French would be focusing on their Formula 1 ambitions, but it's not clear whether this is what caused the Formula E exit, or it's just a consequence of it.
"After season four [2017/18] we will focus resources on our aggressive goals for Formula 1 and we look forward to continuing to gain benefits from motorsport racing across the alliance with Nissan," Thierry Koskas, Groupe Renault executive vice president of sales and marketing told Autosport.
Nissan's first Formula E race will take place in the second part of next year and will mark the first entrance of a Japanese manufacturer. That is unless others decide to join the fast-growing competition in the meantime.
¬ @Nissan has dominated the global sales race for EVs, now we'll take on rivals on track in @FIAformulaE. Watch the #TMS2017 announcement pic.twitter.com/VAZ9DorhBY
— Nissan NISMO (@NISMO) October 25, 2017
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