Formula E’s Gen4 car revealed

Car of the Month – Formula E Gen4

Now this looks cool
Formula E may have its detractors, but it knows how to make a good-looking race car. With the Gen4, due to start racing in the 26/27 season, the designers have gone full Batman, creating the largest and most powerful FE racer yet. We’re particular fans of the new-look aggressive front wing and sidepods, plus the Formula 1-style sculpted rear wing.

You say more powerful…
Oh yes, and by some margin. Gen3 FE cars produced 350kW of grunt in Qualifying Mode, that’s about 476bhp to you and I. Gen4 will almost double that figure to 600kW (815bhp) in the full-fat driving modes such as Qualifying and Attack, plus the car will be the first to feature permanent active all-wheel drive. Gen3 cars generally only had all-wheel drive for race starts and when in Attack Mode.

Lap records to tumble!
You would image so. Teams will also have access to both high and low-downforce bodywork configurations for the first time too. The idea here is for high-downforce to test the limits in qualifying, given that most FE tracks are on the tight side, and low-downforce to aid overtaking during the races, but teams are free to use either configuration and develop around them as they like.

So, is it a spec car or not?
Good question… Yes and no. The base chassis, battery and bodywork are the product of Spark Racing Technology, which has created all of Formula E’s designs since its first season in 2014. Into this base car the registered manufacturers – Porsche, Nissan, Jaguar, Stellantis and Lola – then fit their own powertrains, gearbox and control tech, so each car is intrinsically different once it finally hits the track. Gen4 manufacturers will also have increased freedom in developing differential technology plus torque, traction control and ABS.

Will it improve the racing?
Potentially, but as always there are likely to be some stumbling blocks. The cars have a 43% increase in the available race energy, which means more attacking in theory – plus greatly increased regenerative braking. However, Gen4 is noticeably bigger and heavier than its predecessor, and currently the FE calendar retains several tight street circuits – like Tokyo and London Excel. That could lead to F1-at-Monaco-style issues. However, organisers have time to figure that out, given Gen4 doesn’t arrive until the 26/27 season, likely to start next December. Before then, Gen3 gets its final campaign started at São Paulo in Brazil on December 6.