Formula E offered the Mahindra Racing team special dispensation to give its Gen 3 car its competition debut in the 2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed at Goodwood Estate, England on June 23-26. Gen 3 is new for season nine of Formula E, that World Championship campaign due to commence in January 2023. The Mahindra M9Electro contested the Goodwood Hillclimb with Nick Heidfeld at the wheel although unfortunately it failed to complete the final day’s shootout due to an undisclosed technical issue.
The Formula E’s Gen 3 car has made its competition debut
The Gen 3 car, which was unveiled in Monte Carlo during April’s Monaco e-Prix, is an all-new design. It is smaller, lighter and more powerful than its predecessor, with a maximum output for qualifying (by regulation) of 350 kW, up from 250 kW. That is anticipated to allow the car to exceed 200 mph.
While that power is again delivered through the rear wheels, the Gen 3 car has a 250 kW front axle generator, for a total regenerative power capability of 600 kW. It is anticipated that more than 40% of the energy used during a Formula E race will be regenerated under braking. At the same time, the higher rear regen capability has allowed the car to dispense with conventional rear brakes.
The front generator is a spec item from the company that supplies the current spec battery, Atieva. The battery is again a spec item, this time provided by Williams Advanced Engineering. However, competing manufacturers are again allowed to develop the rest of the rear-wheel propulsion system.
Mahindra has a technical partnership with the ZF Group whereby the latter develops its entire 800 volt system including motor, inverter and other silicon-carbide based power electronics and the transmission. Naturally details of that system are a closely guarded secret.
