
Formula E reveals second-generation car - tankenmate
https://www.motorsport.com/formula-e/news/formula-e-reveals-second-generation-car-1000535/?s=1
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gsnedders
Note one of the most farcical parts of Formula E is changing for the 2018–19
season (when the new chassis is introduced): they're getting rid of the mid-
race car change, and the batteries are required to last the full race
distance.

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colordrops
What's farcical to me is that the cars are standardized and manufactured by
one company. How is that supposed to be interesting and drive innovation?

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gsnedders
The goal is powertrain innovation, without making teams divert their funds to
developing new chassis and aero parts. The powertrain, beyond the battery, is
free for manufacturers to compete on. Only the first season (2014–15) had
completely identical cars.

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navls
Isn't battery where innovation is most needed?

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gsnedders
Most of the concern with battery innovation is you can burn a lot of money
very fast, as far as I'm aware, and I believe the manufacturers believe the
powertrain to be more useful to invest in.

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makmanalp
I would really like to see a formula class that has no human pilots and no one
on or near the field so the cars can go as fast as they possibly can, no
limitation based on human reaction speed or human safety, no arbitrary rules
around tire material or suction fans under the car etc etc.

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tomseldon
I'd like to see that out of pure curiosity, but I would almost definitely
struggle to get excited about it without the human element.

I think most wouldn't be that interested if there wasn't an actual driver (in
the car, too, not some remote thing), even if it's ultimately faster.

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JumpCrisscross
> _I would almost definitely struggle to get excited about it without the
> human element_

You'd have teams in "pits" monitoring their vehicles live. Those reactions
will be raw and humanistic.

When the vehicle comes in for a "pit stop," the team--in addition to doing
mechanical maintenance--could be allowed to tweak the code, _e.g._ based on
strategic observations of other cars' behaviours. To keep it interesting, one
could mandate--to make up for the electronics in the car--all "pit stop" labor
be completely manual. (Any code changes could be taken onto the track on an
unpowered drive.)

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olivermarks
EV's are amazing for drag racing (at least up to about 160mph) and hillclimb.
Circuit racing has a long way to go before it is watchable IMO

[http://www.nedra.com](http://www.nedra.com)

Pikes Peak hillclimb
[https://youtu.be/nMjsAMlXGBI](https://youtu.be/nMjsAMlXGBI)

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scrumper
I'm interested in engineering for track marshall safety with these cars.
Anyone come across any interesting articles? Certainly there were some
difficulties with early F1 KERS batteries, must be far more difficult here
with the energy required to power a car for an entire race.

Edit: thanks for info below.

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ericcumbee
I can't speak to f1 but in Le Mans and the wec they have had a variety of
hybrid systems.

There are indicator lights on the outside of the cars that show the status of
the hybrid system. They also have a emergency cutoff switch that is large
enough for them to push with a fiberglass pole.

In some cases especially in practice if the car is badly damaged they will
send one of the safety and intervention vehicles back to the pits and fetch a
crew member from that car with tools to properly safe the hybrid system. I've
also seen where the Marshalls will have the driver climb out of the car stand
on the side pod and jump clear, then take 4 or 5 bunny hops away from the car.

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colanderman
Dumb question, why must a driver hop away from a damaged vehicle?

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mrestko
Theoretically, if there was a short to ground, a voltage potential could
develop between the two legs if the driver took a step away from the car. By
hopping and landing with feet together, both legs will always be at the same
potential so no current should run through the legs even if the immediate area
around the car is energized.

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jdietrich
It looks absurd, but it's standard advice if a backhoe or crane hits a power
line.

[https://youtu.be/Xvlk_73bSvc?t=2m31s](https://youtu.be/Xvlk_73bSvc?t=2m31s)

~~~
jacquesm
And why you should keep your feet together when there is a thunderstorm. An
impact _near_ you can still kill you if your feet are apart.

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Pfhreak
Warning: Autoplaying ad with audio. (At least on my end.)

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ericcumbee
On my end at least it was a plug for something about the 24 hours of Le Mans
which is far more interesting than formula e

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astrodust
Hopefully one day we can see a 24-Hours with all electric vehicles and no
recharges. Theoretically possible today with nuclear power, but you know, not
that.

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ajmurmann
Do I read this right that FIA provides the card for every team? Why does this
not work like F1 where every team brings their own car?

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sitharus
It's a standard chassis yes, but the powertrain is made by the teams. It's to
force the manufacturers to concentrate their developments on the EV powertrain
(cooling, inverter, motor etc) instead of aerodynamics and suspension.

The battery is also a spec part to force powertrain efficiency rather than
cramming in more batteries, plus battery technology is expensive.

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MeteorMarc
Are these super batteries also rechargable and have good longevity?

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utellme
Almost nothing in autosport has good longevity.

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Theodores
So now Formula E has enough juice to last a full race with no car swap in the
middle. There are also efforts to bring Formula E to city centres - and the
people - but will anyone be watching?

I would like to see this electric car racing take a different direction -
imagine if you could press a button on the dash and have your car emulate any
of many open wheel single seater cars of the past.

Just getting started?

Try the 'Formula Challenge Japan' mode or maybe give an F2 car from the 1970's
a spin.

If you get really brave then you could put it into one of those Red Bull F1
car modes.

You could have all the characteristics of each car ported over from a
simulator/game but be out on the track.

As well as this open seater 'Formula E' with a difference there could also be
a normal car with things like a roof and passenger seating, this could be
electric and simulate any number of cars. Porsche GT3 RS?

Fine. There could be a fake manual gearbox, fake RPM redline and all of that
exhaust noise nonsense also simulated.

Or maybe you would like to see what it is like to go round the track in a
retro Ferrari 275 with a big V12 singing away.

Perhaps the next lap could be tried in Testarossa mode, with the Miami Vice
Classic car simulated.

Or maybe you wondered what those Group B rally cars were really like, so you
could just go into 'Lancia Delta Integrale mode' and not have the 'benefit' of
a tank full of gasoline underneath one's seat.

Perhaps petrol could be faked too, a smell created that does not have the
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons but gives the 'garage' impression.

As well as being greener, such simulator-cars would also be easier and cheaper
to maintain than a fleet of ICE race cars. This would make track day racing
more fun and accessible.

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huntie
So you want an electric race car to feel like some other car? This really
isn't possible at all. No matter what you do, a Testa won't handle like a
Miata because you can't change weight on the fly. Really all that you could do
is reduce the power of the car on the fly which doesn't give the same
experience.

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Theodores
Yeah, you just put bricks in the bonnet or boot. Easy.

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jkldsadfaf
The miata is one of the lightest cars in the market. You cant add bricks to a
Tesla and make it lighter.

And you can't change wheel base, weight distribution, ect, nilly willy.

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joshu
He thinks "Miata = 50/50 balance" as if wheel size, suspension geometry,
overall weight, are irrelevant.

