(Pocket-lint) - Within the last week, Jaguar and BMW have both unveiled new Formula E race cars, ready for Season 5 of the electric-only racing series. Season 5 kicks off in December and the new cars look startling different to before, mostly because their wheels are enclosed and the body work has gained a bunch of jaggedly angles in the name of better aerodynamics. The cars for the next season are all new. Jaguar's new racer is called the i-Type 3. While at BMW it's the snappily named Gen 2 iFE 18. Formula E is said to be the race series of the future. And yes, you've guessed it, the E in the name stands for "electric", with all of the race cars powered by batteries. That means it's becoming an increasingly appealing proposition for car brands. Those with big plans for an electric future are set to join-up to Formula E. Jaguar, Audi, Renault and DS are already there. BMW are a new entry for the next season. For the next season, the batteries of all cars will be supplied by McLaren (yes, they of Formula 1 and 720S fame), and the cars are designed to complete the race in one car, or more to the point, with one battery. At the moment, the drivers get two cars because the batteries can't go the distance. That's a clue to how fast the technology is improving, and it's one of the key reasons that the Formula E series appeals to car brands. With the curtain only recently dropping on the fourth season of Formula E with an exciting street race in New York culminating in Cheethah's Luca di Grassi winning the title, we look ahead and explore why big-name car makers are joining Formula E. There are currently 10 teams in Formula E. Right now, Audi, DS Automobiles, Jaguar and Renault take part. There are independent, family-run race teams, and other big names brands such as India's Mahindra, and China's Nio - you might not have heard of them but they're growing car names in Asia. But over the next two seasons, that picture will change. For the next season in 2018-19, which is the race series' fifth season, it's not just BMW but also Nissan who join the fray. Nissan will run its own Motorsport team, the Nissan name taking over from Renault who are leaving to focus on F1. BMW will be the car manufacturer for team Andretti Autosport. Meanwhile Audi will effectively have two teams next season, being manufacturer for Virgin racing (taking over from DS). And having their own Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler team. By 2019-20 - season six - Porsche and Mercedes-Benz will also join the fray and become powertrain manufacturers, and the field will grow from ten teams (each with two drivers) to eleven. By 2020, the manufacturer team line-up will be as follows: Audi Sport BMW DS Jaguar Land Rover Mahindra Mercedes-Benz Nio Nissan Penske Porsche Venturi In Formula 1, there are strict rules - such as the size of the engine - but everyone is free to develop their own engines, gearbox and aero approaches. In Formula E, it's slightly different. Every car uses the same "chassis" and gets the same battery pack, producing the same amount of power. "Everyone realises we're moving towards an electric future," says James Barclay, Team Manager of Jaguar Panasonic Racing, when we meet him at the final round of Formula E season four in New York. "We're a generation that's going to see a change from combustion to electric vehicles, and that's tremendously exciting." "We have an appetite to learn, how does an electric car work - what can we learn, what can we do better, what are the limitations - and there's a massive hunger for information." Whenever car brands go racing, they do it for a reason. Either marketing (building the brand) - or innovating (developing technology) which can trickle down to road cars. Think of the examples: Audi built Quattro off the back of its rally cars in the 1970s. McLaren road cars, simply wouldn't exist today if it hadn't been a Formula 1 race team first. Other brands - Ferrari, Porsche, Jaguar - are inextricably linked with motorsport. But Formula E - despite its looks, and its speed - is perhaps more closely linked to the electric cars you'll be able to buy tomorrow, than any race cars of the past. "One of the key reasons we got into Formula E is that technology transfer - we call it race to innovate," says Barclay. "The set-up of the [Formula E car] power train - the inverters and e-motors, is about how you make them as light as possible, make them maximum efficiency and minimise draw. So while our e-motors might not be quite the same on our Formula E car to our i-Pace road car, it's the process and the way we construct it, and what we can transfer onto our production cars is a benefit to our consumers. A race car that can go further for longer, is a road car that can go farther for longer." With all of the major manufacturers ramping up deliveries of electric cars – in the past month we've seen Mercedes launch the EQC and Audi finally unveil the e-tron, it's no surprise that there are strong links between road cars and Formula E. For the coming season, Formula E cars are getting a power boost. There's the new battery from McLaren, but also the look of the car is drastically different. Currently, Formula E cars have a 28kWh battery, that's a little smaller than a BMW i3. Next year’s they’ll get 52kWh. That's a little bit smaller than the new, higher range Hyundai Kona EV. Future electric cars: Upcoming battery-powered cars that will be on the roads within the next 5 years By Chris Hall · 27 May 2021 In the race, the cars produce 268hp. In qualifying they produce 335hp. The look of the car is designed, like all race cars, around aerodynamic principles. In the fifth season (2018-19), these new batteries eliminate the current need for drivers to swap cars half way through the race. While that shows the technology improving, it does remove a potentially exciting - and risk-prone - aspect of the sport, which is often where upset and excitement happens. To counter that, in season five, drivers will get to use something called Hyperboost. It's been described as "like Mario Kart for racecars", when you grab a gold star, and get super-speed allowing you to go from the back to the front of the field. The system is still awaiting full approval, so details might change, but the idea is that, after a certain distance at a certain point in the track, drivers will be able to activate an extra burst of power - up to 301 hp - allowing them to go faster. But they'll tactically have to work out when best to use it, as it won't be available every lap and won't last for very long. Sadly, for us Brits, Formula E doesn't come to the UK. Races take place in Saudi Arabia, Marrakesh, Hong Kong, Mexico City, Sanya China, Rome, Paris, Monaco, Berlin, Zurich and New York. All the races happen on street circuits, in the city, and you can pick-up tickets free at some events. But what you might be more interested in is the fan interactive element of Formula E. As well as Hyperboost, there's something called Fanboost that the drivers can already use - the most voted-for drivers (do it via the Formula E app) - receive a certain extra amount of energy, to deploy at a point of their choosing, and where the car gets a boost up to about 325hp. "It doesn't always affect the outcome of the race," says Barclay, "but used effectively it can." Want to know more about Formula E? Read our full, in-depth guide here. Writing by Joe Simpson.<doc-sep>Formula E – BMW Motorsport took the covers off their first ever Formula E car, the .FE.18, at a press event in Munich last week. The launch took place at BMW Welt in Munich, with the event also unveiling the launch of the BMW i Andretti team that will run the iFE.18 when racing resumes in Saudi Arabia later this year. Season 5 of Formula E sees the introduction of the second generation cars, with more power, greater endurance, and higher speeds. BMW, who have been somewhat involved in the series since the start as they supplied the BMW i8 Safety Car, have entered as a full works outfit as they enter partnership with the Andretti team. They also confirmed Alex Sims & Antonio Felix Da Costa as their drivers for the upcoming season. Our full report from the launch of the BMW iFE.18.<doc-sep>The German manufacturer has made the Andretti FE entry its full works programme in the electric championship for the 2018/19 season after entering into a technical partnership with the team for the 2017/18 campaign. Da Costa has retained his place at the outfit where he has raced since season three, while Sims will make his FE racing debut after previously working on the team’s development programme. Roger Griffiths will remain as team principal after its transition from Andretti to the BMW works outfit, which revealed the look of its Gen2 iFE.18 at the BMW Welt exhibition centre in Munich. “It’s amazing, it’s a really important day for me,” said da Costa. “I’ve been in Formula E since day one, the first time the teams got their cars and we went for a shakedown in the rain at Donington. “To see this come alive today - this has always been the plan. I’ve worked really hard to be here today, as a BMW factory driver. “I think we’ve got a really good package, the combination between BMW and Andretti - we’ve been working really well the last two years, building up to this moment.” Sims said: “I couldn’t ask for a better teammate in Antonio, we’ve know each other for quite a few years now and had the pleasure of working together in BMW racecars before, so to continue that relationship is going to be good fun. “[For my] expectations of the year ahead, honestly, as a rookie going into such a difficult and high-level race series I’m optimistic obviously but honestly I understand the challenges ahead. “I’ve got very little experience compared to some of the guys that have been in since day one and so there’s going to be a lot of learning ahead, but [I’m] thoroughly looking forward to it and trying to get on top of things in the difficult world of Formula E.” BMW motorsport boss Jens Marquardt outlined the manufacturer’s expectations for the first year of its FE programme. “The goals are pretty clear, we’re here, we’re racers, we want to be successful,” he said. “We want to get that beautiful car to the podium, maybe to a first win in the maiden season but at the same time we have to be humble. “It’s a very tight and competitive championship – we are newcomers still, even if we have teamed up with a lot of experience. But it’s going to be an exciting year for all of us and we’re definitely looking forwards.” BMW iFE.18 Photo by: BMW AG 2018/19 Formula E line-up so far: Team Drivers Nissan e.dams Sebastien Buemi TBA Audi Lucas di Grassi Daniel Abt Mahindra TBA Virgin Racing Sam Bird TBA Techeetah-DS Jean-Eric Vergne Andre Lotterer Dragon Jose Maria Lopez TBA Jaguar Mitch Evans Nelson Piquet Jr NIO TBA Venturi Felipe Massa Edoardo Mortara Andretti-BMW Antonio Felix da Costa Alexander Sims HWA TBA<doc-sep>
BMW Motorsport launched their car for the 2018-19 ABB FIA Formula E Championship in Munich today. With BMW having taken over the team for this season after several years of collaborating with Andretti, the team will run under the name of BMW i Andretti Motorsport. The name reflects the joint effort between BMW Motorsport and their electric car division, BMW i, with both groups working together within the team in what BMW says is an unprecedented move. It was the ability to link the work of both groups and the technology transfer it provided that attracted BMW to invest more heavily in the series, according to Klaus Fröhlich, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Development and Motorsport. “Formula E is not only an innovative and spectacular race series that has established itself as one of the top race series in the world with a totally new approach to sustainability and events within just a few years, “For BMW, it is also the perfect test lab for production development. The technology transfer between motorsport and series production is intense. Our experience from series production benefits the drivetrain of the race car.” BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt echoed these comments, but said that designers were told to prioritise the Formula E efforts and to worry about integrating it into their road car efforts later on. Marquardt said, “We told the production engineers designing the electric motor and inverter: ‘Forget about all the considerations you would usually have in development, and just think about performance, the greatest efficiency, the lowest weight. When we’ve reached that point, you can think about how to integrate that into series production later on.’ The German manufacturer will be hoping the new car designs introduced for season five can herald a new start for the team, after the under-performed in each of the past two seasons. This resulted in them finishing bottom of the team standings last year, with the team recording a best finish of seventh with Antonio Felix da Costa. It was confirmed that da Costa will stay with the team for next season, and will be joined by fellow BMW works driver Alexander Sims.