ZF is Mahindra Racing's New Powertrain Partner for Formula E
The German company ZF, a major supplier of automatic transmissions and related components, has become the new partner of Mahindra Racing, participating in the Formula E Champioship. Thanks to the joint efforts, ZF experts and tech specialists of Mahindra have already set in motion the development process of under-the-hood components for the 2020/21 season.
It is assumed that the prototype of the newly designed driveline will be exposed to thorough rig testing and test drives in 2020. The list of components being designed includes the following: E-motor, a single-speed gearbox, and power electronics to be specifically applied in racing competitions. During the upcoming 6-th season, which kicks off in November, ZF will supply it new partner with advanced chassis solutions, shock-absorbing systems as well as engineering support. It is interesting to point out that ZF is not a newcomer to Formula E racing: in 2018 ZF successfully collaborated with Venturi team. Thanks to sophisticated driveline technologies from ZF, Venturi proved its competitive ability by achieving decent results last year. Now when the parties chose to end the collaboration.
Check out the video about the last year Formula E race in Hong Kong, where Venturi team powered by ZF celebrated the victory
According to ZF officials, the deal with Mahindra is a fair opportunity for ZF to showcase its environmentally-friendly technologies and to test them in practice. It turns out to be a valuable intermediate link between the development and large-scale manufacturing. For instance, ZF provided power electronics based on a silicized carbon for the Formula E drivetrain, which will soon be available for road e-cars. This solution helps to enhance the effectiveness and range of e-drives. ZF hopes not only to contribute to Mahindra’s performance, but also to promote its products on the fast-growing Indian market.
Representatives of Mahindra also see a lot of
potential in collaboration with ZF, as the German company is considered to be
one of the leaders in engineering of advanced components for EVs. Moreover,
ZF’s powertrain elements already proved their effectiveness and reliability
during the last season. The Indian team has been competing in the Formula E
since its foundation in 2012, winning 4 races so far.
ZF has been investing significant financial and labor resources into implementation of its e-mobility strategy since 2016. For this purpose, the company even established a special similarly-named division. This initiative is supposed to become a driving force in achieving substantial reductions in CO2 emissions. Here ZF engineers work on new technologies, which will shape the future of the auto industry.
