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Audi Reveals its Sexy New FE05 Formula E Racer

We always knew the coming generation of Formula E car would be sexy, but seeing them in full livery is even better. And it’s not just the body that’s new.

For 2019 Formula E teams are allowed to design their own motor, inverter, gearbox, rear suspension, and software. That’s good news for Audi, whose motor, we discovered, has already competed impressively.

Fans of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb may remember that this summer the Volkswagen I.D. R set the overall record. Although that car had two motors, to the Formula E’s single motor setup, they were effectively reworked versions of this coming season’s Audi Formula E motor, the Audi Schaeffler MGU03.

It is capped at 200 kW (272 hp) in race trim, but it is capable of generating 225 kW (306 hp) in “activation zones” throughout the race and in qualification trim.

Along with McLaren’s new 52 kWh battery (which it will share with the rest of the grid), this year’s Formula E cars will be able to run a full race distance, eliminating Formula E’s controversial car swap pitstop.

Audi will hang on to a single-gear gearbox(?) for its simplicity.

“We retained the basic concept with one gear and at the same time refined the details and manufactured all of the parts,” says Tristan Summerscale, Audi’s Formula E Project Leader.

[See image gallery at www.vwvortex.com]

With the simple gearbox and 95% of the drivetrain parts being new, Audi was able to reduce the weight of its package by 10%.

So eager was Audi to get started on this project that they started working on it before the start of last season. Like Audi, though, everyone was waiting for season 5, which has everyone knew would introduce a new set of individuating rules for the series. As a result, Audi will have a lot of stiff competition from teams like BMW, which has partnered with Andretti Autosport.

Audi’s drivers, Lucas di Grassi and Daniel Abt, will have 13 races to set themselves apart from the competition. The series opens in Ad Diriyah, on December 15.

The post Audi Reveals its Sexy New FE05 Formula E Racer appeared first on VWVortex.



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