New Nissan Formula E car to influence future e-4orce models
Engine management and efficiency will be observed for future all-wheel-drive production cars
Nissan has revealed its new car for the upcoming Formula E race season – and technology from the racer could be used on future production models.
Called Nissan e-4orce 04, the car has 40% more power than last year’s challenger and a top speed of over 200mph. Its new red and white livery features a cherry blossom design, in tribute to Japan’s national flower.
The firm says the livery celebrates its Japanese heritage and that its dedication to Formula E highlights its commitment to an electrified future.
Nissan Motorsport managing director Tommaso Volpe told Autocar the e-4orce 04 employs several technologies that could feature on future production cars in an adapted form.
The e-4orce badge currently represents the car maker’s electrified four-wheel-drive model range, consisting of the Nissan Ariya and Nissan X-Trail. Nissan says data gathered from the race car will “directly contribute" to the development of its electrified tech and powertrains.
Volpe said: "We have already identified two key areas where we can transfer [our expertise] into our cars of the future.
"The first one is the energy efficiency of the hardware – physically, how [we] design and develop [the] gearbox inverter and motor in order to reach the highest level of efficiency possible.
“In Formula E, this number – which we don't disclose, but is higher than 95% – is an unbelievable level of efficiency. So we can learn a lot on how to make our hardware more efficient in the road cars as well.”
Volpe added that engine management is the second primary feature that could be transferred to a production model in the future.
"In Formula E, you win or lose races based on how efficiently you use [your energy],” Volpe said. “So this level of sophistication of software can teach us a lot on how to improve deficiency on the road cars."
A brand-new driver line-up consisting of Norman Nato and Sacha Fenestraz will take to the wheel of the e-4orce 04. The 2023 season kicks off in January, with the first race taking place in Mexico at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.