Formula E

[Huntresa]

I haven't read the entire topic, but I just wanna add some things to the discussion:

- To solve a quick battery reload, Tesla has been experimenting with replaceable batterypacks. If developed further, you might be looking at a 10sec pitstop. Which to me sounds pretty reasonable.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5V0vL3nnHY

- Williams has been working on a magnetic flywheel. It's been used in the Porsche 911 GT3R Hybrid and 918 RSR Concept, and in the latter it looks awesome. No, the future of awesome. It's called an MLC flywheel.
http://www.autoblog.nl/gallery/Porsche/ ... 011-09.jpg
http://williamsadvancedengineering.com/ ... technology

- I also wonder if those flywheels can be used as gyroscopes for added stability. Imagine braking to charge the flywheels, using them as gyroscope through the corner, and power out the corner with the energy left.

Those flywheels are for normal cars tho right ? I mean they tried to fit a flywheel into an F1 car back in 2009, and it didnt work.

[autogyro]

The Williams flywheel works very well in an F1 car.
It is the regulations that prevented its use in the formula.
F1 now only pays lip service to proper technology, innovation is dead.

I have yet to understand why the replacing the battery packs was dropped in favour of using two cars per driver in FE.
FE needs a new technical department if it is to prosper.

Tesla have developed a replaceable battery pack for their perfectly practical road cars.

[thisisatest]

Those flywheels are for normal cars tho right ? I mean they tried to fit a flywheel into an F1 car back in 2009, and it didnt work.

it didnt not work due to some design compromise or flaw. at the time, i think the overall package weight was better than the battery/electric motor type. IIRC, the problem really was that the FIA narrowed the rules to require energy storage within a certain area of the car- in front of the engine i think? whereas youd probably want the flywheel next to the gearbox.

[WhiteBlue]

Energy storage is a safety issue. Fuel, high voltage or high rpm kinetic power must be in the safety cell of the car.

[aleks_ader]

New Spark SRT! Coming soon! =D>

Please find attached an invitation to the official unveiling of the new Spark-Renault SRT_01E fully-electric race car for the FIA Formula E Championship. The launch takes place on Tuesday, 10th September, 09:45 (CET) at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

Interviews with key personnel will be available after the launch. High-res images of the new car will be available on our media site http://www.fiaformulae.com/media with footage available upon request.

[Huntresa]

Qualcomm's Halo wireless charging tech headed to Formula E, safety cars get first dibs

http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/09/qual ... rmula-e-s/

[Richard]

The BBC has a bit more detail. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24013661

It'd be great if they use charging pads on the track, it'd flip this from being a heavy formula with limited mileage to one that has minimal energy storage and can go on and on and on.

It'd also be road relevant, I can imagine a compact city place like Singapore installing permanent charging pads for a fleet of electric cars for public use - just like the bikes in Paris, London & NY.

[autogyro]

It was over six Months ago that I suggested the government of Monaco dig up the race track and instal a dynamic vehicle charging system under the road surface.
Looks like plans are now in place to eventualy achieve this.

FE will prosper although the regulation that forces teams to field two cars for each driver makes little sense to me.
I did suggest they replace the batteries at pit stops.
An easy job if the cars have the battery packs designed into removable side pods.
Think they missed this though.

The biggest problem for FE is going to be spectator safety.
The cars are potentialy very fast and in City centers this will bring expensive safety issues.
What FE needs is much more investment from companies involved in electric technology and the governments of countries with the City center circuits that will benefit hugely from the environmentaly friendly PR that FE will bring them.

I wish I was a bit younger and could become more actively involved in FE, it is going to be a fantastic future developing electric motor sport with huge potential for a totaly new range of commercial investment.

[flynfrog]

The BBC has a bit more detail. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24013661

It'd be great if they use charging pads on the track, it'd flip this from being a heavy formula with limited mileage to one that has minimal energy storage and can go on and on and on.

It'd also be road relevant, I can imagine a compact city place like Singapore installing permanent charging pads for a fleet of electric cars for public use - just like the bikes in Paris, London & NY.

If you read the article they will only be charging the safety car for the first year. Maybe the race cars by the second or third year.

[stefan_]

SPARK-Renault SRT_01E Official Launch (10.09.2013)

[Pup]

Hate push to pass? You likely won't like this then...

Apparently, the people running this series have decided to let the fans vote via twitter on which drivers get to use push-to-pass during the race.

I'll give that a moment to sink in.

Forward 4 minutes into this press conference and hear it with your own ears. Try not to cry...

http://sportel.ampi.tv/conference-fia

So, the target market for this series is literally 10-12 year olds.

I'm having trouble imagining the board meeting where this idea came to be.

[Huntresa]

Hate push to pass? You likely won't like this then...

Apparently, the people running this series have decided to let the fans vote via twitter on which drivers get to use push-to-pass during the race.

I'll give that a moment to sink in.

Forward 4 minutes into this press conference and hear it with your own ears. Try not to cry...

http://sportel.ampi.tv/conference-fia

So, the target market for this series is literally 10-12 year olds.

I'm having trouble imagining the board meeting where this idea came to be.

Thats quite old news, this is from earlier in the thread.

http://www.fiaformulae.com/home

Social media

Fans, whether watching live or at home, will also be able to interact before, during and after the race through Formula E's social media channels. As well as following the official Championship channels, you can also check out what the teams and drivers have been saying or get involved with competitions and even vote for your favourite driver who will receive an extra 'Push-to-Pass' - meaning you could directly affect the outcome of the race!

EXCUSE ME?!

[Holm86]

Wow. What a way to ruin this formula before it even started

[Cold Fussion]

I can't really see the point of this series. It's not going to be very exciting to watch electric cars racing, and it's not going to push the technology harder than manufactures, so why bother?

[aleks_ader]

1. Why FE afterall?

I can't really see the point of this series. It's not going to be very exciting to watch electric cars racing, and it's not going to push the technology harder than manufactures, so why bother?

Could you make arguments why? The all technical specific science competitions like solar challenges, OHIO university challenge and many other hybrid, car battery challenges are to much peripheral. Exact "hardcore" science in many cases some people defected away. Those specific competition are all to much for other peoples.

Bv. Coldfusion that is not the personal attack just sharing some toughs.

To property informed and encourage interested masses in new technologies we need exitemend or "the show" (hate that word) if you like or not. Until now media and many lobbies in&or unintentionally make that in many cases even worse.

Why not use nowadays "propaganda" to lunch the more "mainstream" development in that area of vehicle transportation. And what is not more convenient like make world class competition to boost our "egos" and encoarge our natural tension to be superior "alfa" male. We dont like to lose, that is naturaly boost for science. For example look all TECH progress during WW2 (just add some exiting tech vid) or "cold war"...

IT IS WORTH IT? Look belove for example at that videos (sorry if everyone already post it). I think it good made my point why is good to do it and why is worth to try...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtfKux9B ... LjCwNEFRUA[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IipCijIBHeQ[/youtube]


We need just "Aladins lamp" and open that unexploded areas and once for all do something good for our future generations. We mechanical and electrical engineers must stick heads together and make it work. =D>

2. Push&pass sucks?
Let go back on push&pass thingy. Could anyone imagine how many votes will receive Vettel, almost every race. (sarcasm off)

That push to pass it is really good idea if we will live in UTOPIAN world. Let see that on 1 example. In race we see 1 underdog driver fights, with rest of top of league. You could really see commitment and dedication from the driver. And we spectators could reward it with that 1 way ticket to paradise.

But we all now that option quickly change in the "fan biased" talks "who had the largest". On that scenario will benefit every time the same driver. Driver which is the most popular. This will also lead in further more in already even more sterilized sport infront media. That is because driver will don't want to do something wrong. I miss real true emotions from all athletes all over the world. Like it was iz F1 mid 80s&beyond.

3. Electric vehicles are boring?
I dont think these races will be bored spectators. Shear torque noise is also very mind-bobbling...

Examples:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ3rvI4Pw8c

And don't forget exiting Drayson racer, even Nissan ZERO aka delatawin+lef project (i work on topic of more detailed project)... We all need overall engineering, social rethinking... IMO