Renault exclusively provides the Le Mans-based outfit, now known as Renault e.dams, with its bespoke Z.E.15 powertrain, developed directly within Renault Sport F1's facilities at their Viry-Châtillon operation base, using a specifically adapted engine dynamometer.
As with most of Renault’s motor sport activities, there is a strong correlation to their road cars, but the union is rarely promoted compared to other auto manufacturers with as strong a racing ethos as Renault.
This was rectified on the Wednesday morning of Paris ePrix week, with a parade in Paris with the racing car and the concept car based on the Formula E electrical engine, followed by a parade of road cars.
“The Zoe-eSport concept car was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show. It’s a car with 400bhp and is all carbon fibre and fully homologated by the FIA” says Renault e.Dams Team Manager Jean-PaulDroit.
“It’s interesting because it could be the kind of car we would race during the day between Formula E races and qualifying. It’s a very, very fast car. We did a lap in
Monaco and when you put the foot down you feel that 400bhp in your back!”
Not to be out-done on their home turf, DS Virgin have escalated their competition department with savvy recruitment and investment into their DS Performance is based at Versailles Satory, near Paris.
Xavier Mestelan Pinon was appointed head of DS Performance in January 2016 after a successful period at Citroën Sport as head of WRC programme operations in 2001, then appointed chassis manager in 2003. He became head of the technical department in March 2005, then deputy director of Citroën Racing in January 2012.
Like Renault, promotion of their own road-going electric flagships such as the e-tense is paramount according to Pinon.
“This car explains what will be the future of DS Automobiles” explains Pinon. “Another component of this will be the DS7 which we are showing in the eVillage. In the future all of our hybrids will go under the name of e-tense”.
The biggest question for Formula E
however, will what will happen in season five. While power train development expected to stay the same, teams however will be entering into a brave new world with battery technology dictating how energy is used. The category hopes navigates this transition better than its more prominent cousin, Formula One did.
“The regulation will be close to what we have today with the power-train, with the exception of the battery” says Pinon. “It will be a challenge because we improve the efficiency of the car to complete one race. We also need to improve the brakes as the new technology will be brake-by-wire. It will be important to re-generate more energy to be faster during the race. It will be a unique challenge for everyone.
We’ve already started to work on it. We’ll be working on both cars of course but our main focus is on next season. We already put some new parts [tested] on the bench on track, so lots of challenges”.
So will Formula E be treading water until season five or are there still lessons to be learned that can be implemented once the regulations come into full effect? If you look at what Mark Preston learnt in applying clever engine mapping management on the first year power train whilst others were grappling the new technology, it’s evident that there was merit in the idea once he got his hands on the Renault power-train.
“We would expect the season three car to carry on into season four, but the biggest difference will be in season five” says Droit. “The picture is changing by going racing with one battery and one car. The key point is going faster by consuming less energy”.
Given the trickle-down effect of Formula E technology, is it possible we could see a feeder series such as Formula E light or Zoe concept car racing at out tracks in the near future?
“You can never say what the future may be, but when you see the evolution in the last century – from horses to cars running at 40km/ph and now at hybrid electrical – I think it’s a lot like the computer industry” says Droit.
“I always remember that in New York in
1905, there was a picture of one motor car and the rest were horse-carts. Ten years
later the same man took the same picture in the same place and there is one horse-cart circled in red.
It’s the same for us. When you see all the manufacturers are going electric and we have the capacity to race for 1.5 hours and develop the equivalent of 700-800bhp, then the full evolution will take place from the bottom to the top. But who knows? I don’t have the answer”.
Pinon is more circumspect, pointing out that “to develop all our vehicles to electric would be a massive adjustment, so even for the race car there will be a huge adjustment around the new technology”.
By virtue of battery technology still being in its infancy, pit-stops have added an extra level of strategy and excitement to Formula E. But if the cars can complete full race distances by season five, would losing this element become an unexpected drawback?
“This is a big question that we are debating at the moment” admits Droit. “I am part of the Working Group and motor racing is usually where you start and you finish. Not where you stop. We’re all trying to think about it and what would be the best [scenario].
If you change tyres I don’t think that brings anything. I don’t think we should change the sporting regulations too much other than going from start to finish. But perhaps we could integrate the public more with information on the screen about who’s consuming energy and which way. This integrates the public into the strategy of the race. It’s still a big exercise for the drivers and the teams, but we have to share it with the public on the screen. Of all the propositions I think this one is the way.
Some people say we should stop the car to regain more energy for the rest of the race, but I really think there’s going to be a strong debate in the coming weeks”.
While the debate rages on it’s possible that the pace of tech development could make the decision for them.
Images: Renault Sport