TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team

Post-race routine and power management

Formula E, a new era of motorsport featuring electric racing cars, continues to evolve. The cars, which were replaced by the current GEN3 in Season 9 in 2023, have finally evolved into GEN3 Evo in Season 11 this year, and by using the front motor at key points (such as qualifying and attack mode), the performance of this unique AWD formula car has been significantly improved.

Our coverage of the ninth round, the Tokyo E-Prix, revealed that the team’s cutting-edge cars, EV-specific technical innovations, team management, energy strategies, and even sustainability initiatives have all reached a level befitting a world championship. We visited the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team’s pit just before the final to get a behind-the-scenes look at what’s going on behind the scenes.

Our interview took place around noon. The team staff in charge of the interview invited us into the pit, where the car, which had just finished qualifying, had already been disassembled, and the cooling system was being checked and the setup adjusted. Photography was not permitted, so we’ll have to look at the Formula E press photos. At the same time, normal battery charging (80kW) had also begun in preparation for the final race. As this is a race using electric cars, a system has been set up in the pit that allows two cars to be charged at the same time using a charging station and dedicated cables installed in the pit. This “split charge” method is said to enable reliable energy management even within a limited time frame.

The latest EV machine combines common parts with proprietary developments

Formula E cars share common components such as bodywork, tires, brakes, and battery packs with all teams. Sharing parts reduces costs. Meanwhile, each team is allowed to independently develop parts that affect performance, such as the motor, gearbox, high-voltage system, and energy management software. This design philosophy strikes a balance between cost and fairness while retaining technological freedom.

A maximum of 30 team members will be allowed to travel to the site, including drivers, mechanics, and various engineers. Of particular note will be the presence of electrical system specialists such as “high-voltage engineers” and “low-voltage engineers.” Only staff with special qualifications will be able to perform tasks such as removing the battery and shutting down and restarting the high-voltage system. These are new roles unique to EV racing.

Is rain tires unnecessary for your tire strategy?

In Formula E, all cars are fitted with grooved all-weather tyres, meaning that the same compound tyres are used whether the race is in dry or wet conditions, as part of Formula E’s emphasis on environmental friendliness.

The aim is to reduce the environmental impact at each stage of tire development, transportation, and disposal, so only three sets of tires will be allowed to be used at this year’s Tokyo E-Prix (enough for two races, including two practice sessions and two qualifying sessions). In F1, teams sometimes bring more than 60 sets to a single race, but compared to that, this system places a much smaller burden on the environment.

Incidentally, Formula E often takes place on public roads in urban areas. This is partly to create an environment that is more accessible to spectators, but it also uses a lot of electricity. In urban races such as the one in Tokyo and London, temporary pit lanes are set up for each team. The cars are assembled on-site on Wednesday and immediately disassembled after the race on Sunday. They are then repacked in special containers and transported by DHL to the next race (in Shanghai). This efficient logistics between circuits also contributes to sustainable operations.

Ideally, the goal is to reach 0.0% battery life.

Regarding the aforementioned charging, the generator installed behind the pits is carbon-neutral and uses non-polluting glycerin fuel. It significantly reduces CO2 emissions compared to conventional diesel generators, making it essentially an “E-Fuel.” Furthermore, it is compatible with the rapid charging (up to 600kW) called Pit Boost, which was introduced this season as a new highlight during the race.

The car’s battery capacity is 38.5kWh, so it can basically run one race (approximately 35 laps) with this. The ideal is to finish with 0.0% battery power remaining, but it is said that up to 50% of the energy used can be recovered through regenerative braking, so the strategy is complicated. On the other hand, this extreme battle for energy conservation is what makes EV racing so exciting.

Development of the next-generation powertrain is already underway. The chassis of the new GEN4 car is scheduled to be delivered in September or October of this year, and full-scale testing will begin after the new motor is installed. Electric racing is now in the midst of an unprecedented challenge: balancing technological innovation with sustainability.