Nissan has announced that it has inked an agreement to supply McLaren Racing with its Gen 3 Formula E powertrains. The multi-year contract starts with the 2022/23 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship season. McLaren confirmed its participation in the series beginning with season 9. Its partnership with Nissan lasts throughout the Gen3 era.
The new partnership with McLaren leverages Nissan’s long-standing participation in Formula E. Recently, it purchased e.dams, a French racing team in the series, which will operate alongside a factory-backed team. Nissan and McLaren will compete with several other automakers participating in Formula E. These include Jaguar, DS Automobiles, Mercedes-Benz, Mahindra, NIO, and Porsche.
This isn’t the first time the two companies have worked together. The race car being used by e.dams currently uses a 52-kWh battery pack from McLaren Applied Technologies. Versus the Gen 1 pack, the race cars get double the range while producing 250 kW or roughly 335 hp. This also gives the vehicle a top speed of 174 mph. A carbon-fiber body keeps the car rigid and strong while reducing weight. It’s designed specifically for maximum aerodynamic efficiency, reducing drag, and maximizing downforce. Michelin supplies bespoke Pilot Sport all-season performance tires developed specifically for Formula E while Brembo supplies the brakes and brake-by-wire system.
Participating in Formula E brings more attention to electric vehicles and zero-emissions mobility. This also showcases the potential of EVs in performance applications and racing, Nissan first entered the series during the 2018 to 2019 season and remains the only Japanese automaker in Formula E. The company recently bought e.dams, which should make collaboration easier. Nissan’s racing activities are part of its carbon neutrality goals, which also include the introduction of 15 new EVs and 8 hybrids globally by 2030 as part of its Ambition 2030 plan.
Source: Nissan