New cars, new regulations and two new teams: The ninth Formula E season promises to be more exciting than ever and with the new Gen3 cars more powerful, faster and more efficient. We took a closer look at the all-new Jaguar I-Type 6 at its unveiling.
On January 14, 2023, the next Formula E World Championship will start in Mexico City. The ninth season promises even more action than before because, in addition to new regulations, there are also revolutionary new cars: the third-generation racing cars (Gen3) have changed radically, they are lighter, stronger and faster. Jaguar presented its electric racing car in London and gives an insight into the new I-Type 6. According to Jaguar, it is the most advanced and efficient electric car of all time, with which the British finally want to reach for the world championship crown.
A lot of changes are coming with Season 9. For the first time in Formula E history, there is also an electric motor on the front axle. In conjunction with the second electric motor at the rear, the Jaguar I-Type 6 with 600 kW can now recover twice as much energy as before. For this reason, the racing car does without classic brakes on the rear axle and decelerates there electrically. The British put the power at 350 kW (475 hp), previously a maximum of 250 kW (340 hp) was permitted. The I-Type 6 has also become 74 kilos lighter than the Gen2 vehicle and can now reach a top speed of up to 320 km/h.
The faster and more torquey Gen3 cars will definitely add excitement to the battle for the World Championship. James Barclay, Team Principal of Jaguar TCS Racing, is mighty proud of his new car. But the electric formula cars also bring new challenges. “The technology is a big step for Formula E, but it has also become highly complex with the Gen3 era,” says the native South African. “In addition, the new Hankook tires have completely different characteristics compared to the previous Michelins. As a result, the much faster car will also be harder to drive for the drivers,” adds Barclay.
In addition to the many new unknowns for next season, at least the two Jaguar drivers Mitch Evans and Sam Bird are no strangers. The experienced and experienced drivers have long been part of the team at Jaguar. Evans was the runner-up in the World Championship last season. Like his team-mate Bird, his aim is to attack even harder this time and win the world title for Jaguar. With the Jaguar I-Type 6, the equipment you use has not only changed radically from a technical point of view. The new bolide will be launched in carbon black and satin white instead of gray with turquoise elements as before. In addition, both racing cars are now painted asymmetrically for better differentiation. Evans has the large Jaguar logo on the car on the right side of the car, while Bird has it on the left.
Before the two Jaguar drivers make their racing debut in Mexico City, they prepare for the season at the first official team tests in Valencia in December. Among the 11 teams and 22 drivers, there are two new teams, McLaren and Maserati, who aim to enrich the electric racing series. McLaren is the former Mercedes team. In addition, next season there are also new street circuits on the Formula E racing calendar with India (Hyderabad), South Africa (Cape Town) and Brazil (Sao Paulo). In order to reduce costs, the carbon fiber chassis and the batteries are the same for all teams , but with the electric drive train and the rear wheel suspension, the manufacturers go their own way and develop them themselves.
Sustainability is a big issue for Jaguar. As part of a Reimage strategy, the British have committed to zero emissions throughout the supply chain by 2039. The I-Type 6 will also serve as a development laboratory for upcoming Jaguar and Land Rover production vehicles. From 2025, the British want to convert their models into purely electric vehicles, and the knowledge gained from the racetrack is to be transferred to the road. (Guido Borck, cen)