ZF Electric Driveline to Appear in Formula E
In 2016, ZF and the motor racing team Venturi, established by Venturi Automobiles, entered into cooperation agreement for the FIA Formula E. For the new season, ZF has designed an electric driveline for Venturi that includes an electromotor, new-made gearbox and power electronics.
Not everyone knows that a famous American actor
Leonardo DiCaprio is a co-founder of the Venturi Grand Prix Formula E Team
In the FIA Formula E Championship, the power limit is tightly restricted. Therefore, ZF Race Engineering, ZF subsidiary specialized in development of car components for Venturi cars, puts in great efforts for improving efficiency of gearboxes thanks to the use of lightweight materials and the gearbox performance optimization. The racing competitions between fully electronic cars steadily gain popularity not only among auto racing admirers, but also among major automakers. The new Formula E season is joined by the BMW and Nissan teams. Mercedes and Porsche also consider the possibility to try their luck in this type of racing next year.
Take a look at Venturi Gen2
In comparison with the previous model, the new Venturi
car (Gen2) will have significantly increased store of energy. As a direct
result of this, now the car is able to cover the distance of the race without
the need for the mid-race car change (previously required). The new car has
enhanced power and acceleration characteristics.
This year, the Venturi team is fully equipped
to contest for points. Moreover, the German team HWA Racelab plans to buy
Venturi cars for participation in the Formula E. So, it is expected that the
new ZF driveline will be installed in 4 cars at the start of the season.
Venturi drivers Felipe Massa and Edoardo
Mortara
ZF has provided the Venturi team with shock struts for its cars and designed a new gearbox for the new season. Pretty soon the new ZF driveline will show its advantages in practice. The complete unit is the 1-st fully electric ZF driveline specifically intended for auto racing. In comparison to gearbox solutions of previous years, the new gearbox is notable for its torque density and enhanced operation efficiency.
Since the motor capacity parameter is subject to strict control in Formula E, power transmission is a key to success. To remain competitive under such strict requirements, the new ZF gearbox went through major structural changes. ZF engineers for the first time implemented a single-gear solution and used new materials, such as a light-metal alloy for the gearbox casing. The new approach allowed ZF engineers to significantly reduce the gearbox weight in comparison with the variant used in the previous season. ZF also introduced the inverter with highly-efficient silicon-carbide modules. The body for the inverter is made of CF composite material. The advanced software has been specifically adjusted to the special requirements of auto racing. Thanks to the cooperation with Venturi, ZF has a great opportunity to put in practice its electrified car components and to test them under severe conditions.
The Formula E racing series was established in 2014. In these races, professional drivers compete with each other on e-cars with fully electric drivelines. Races are
held on urban tracks in the largest capitals of the world.
About ZF Race Engineering
ZF Race
Engineering is a subsidiary of ZF Group which specializes in development and
manufacturing of shock absorbers, clutches, gearboxes, and other automotive
components for the world’s leading motor racing competitions, including street
racing. In 2015, ZF acquired the company TRW Conekt, which offers a full-range
of engineering services: from product design to qualification of a product.
