ABB, which unveiled the ABB Formula E Race Charger ahead of season 9 and showcased the same at the Formula E race in Hyderabad on February 11, said that Formula E is helping refine not only electric cars, but also EV charging technology.
“A major goal of Formula E is to test new technologies on the race track before rolling them out for public use,” an ABB spokesperson told FE. “These technologies encompass the entire EV ecosystem, of which charging a very important aspect.”
The new charger has been developed by ABB working with engineers from motorsport governing body, the FIA, and Formula E. “It is a compact, reliable and safe solution for charging the new Gen3 cars before race day and between sessions. It has been designed in a robust, custom and ergonomic way that allows for easy global transportation and installation,” the spokesperson said. “Each charger can deliver a maximum power of 160 kW and is able to charge two vehicles with 80 kW of power simultaneously, before the race. This allows race teams to benefit from a ‘double charging’ capacity from one unit, significantly reducing the charger footprint and decreasing transportation emissions, as there is no longer a need for one unit per car.”
While this charging technology isn’t yet available for mass usage, that precisely is the aim of Formula E (using race car technologies in regular road cars).
The spokesperson said that charging the Gen3 cars is giving ABB valuable testing information on charging in a high-paced, competitive environment. “The experience and knowledge we gain will be used to continuously improve ABB chargers for customer and consumer use,” he said.
