The next generation Formula E cars were unveiled during the Monaco Grand Prix last year, and will offer 100 kW more power than the previous cars at 350 kW, equivalent to 470 horsepower. The cars will also be able to reach speeds over 200 mph for the first time, offering better, more exciting racing.
Perhaps even more importantly, the new drive unit will provide substantial regenerative braking ability, with a 250 kW unit on the front axle and a rear unit, allowing for a total of 600 kW of regeneration. This will enable the cars to regain approximately 40% of the power needed to complete a race. "With an incredible power density of 14.7 hp/kg and immense energy recuperation, this drive unit will once again transform electric motorsports, following in the footsteps of our revolutionary battery pack in prior race seasons," said Peter Rawlinson, CEO, and CTO, of Lucid Group.
The unit is incredibly lightweight, weighing only 70.5 pounds, but still able to produce 469 horsepower and a max rotor speed of 19,500 rpm. It also features a high-voltage continuous wave winding and proprietary microjet cooling system, which eliminates the need for a rear hydraulic braking system. The two motors, and a front hydraulic system will provide all the stopping power needed for the cars to reach 200 mph.
All of these units are wholly produced in-house by the company, and this will allow them to learn a lot about how they perform in high-stress motorsport environments, leading to improvements in future road cars.
Source: Lucid
