Open Source Patents and Formula e racing

[Ludus]

Formula e racing in it's current form is limited by it's battery tech. IMHO it makes a poor showcase for the performance potential of electric cars using the pretty lame device of having the driver switch to a different fully charged car when the power runs low.

If they redesigned the formula e racers around Tesla battery tech they'd be able to drop this approach and conduct the race in the same format fans are accustomed to. Pit crews would race to swap battery packs, that as with Model S would be thin and flat and pop in on the bottom of the car lowering it's center of gravity. Considering the speed of the automated battery swap Tesla demo'd, a well practiced pit crew with evolved tools ought to be able to do it in single digit seconds.

Open source patents ought to make this a more attractive option to the FIA and associated teams and sponsors. This seems like a clear good faith use that doesn't compete with Tesla and advances it's tech as a standard.

 

[SebastianR]

Formula e racing in it's current form is limited by it's battery tech. IMHO it makes a poor showcase for the performance potential of electric cars using the pretty lame device of having the driver switch to a different fully charged car when the power runs low.

If they redesigned the formula e racers around Tesla battery tech they'd be able to drop this approach and conduct the race in the same format fans are accustomed to. Pit crews would race to swap battery packs, that as with Model S would be thin and flat and pop in on the bottom of the car lowering it's center of gravity. Considering the speed of the automated battery swap Tesla demo'd, a well practiced pit crew with evolved tools ought to be able to do it in single digit seconds.

Open source patents ought to make this a more attractive option to the FIA and associated teams and sponsors. This seems like a clear good faith use that doesn't compete with Tesla and advances it's tech as a standard.

I would love that! The big problem I have with Formula E is that it is so tightly regulated/defined that it effectively shuts down any innovation: If you can't develop your own tech and thus start to win races - what's the point in racing cars?

 

[mrdoubleb]

I would love that! The big problem I have with Formula E is that it is so tightly regulated/defined that it effectively shuts down any innovation: If you can't develop your own tech and thus start to win races - what's the point in racing cars?

As far as I know only 1st Gen Formula E cars have been developped with that cookie cutter approach. In the future they will be allowed to develop their own cars -though i could not find details on that. However if the FIA wants to get car companies interested, they will have to allow that.

 

[GSP]

Great idea. Battery swap is perfect for racing. It would add a lot of drama to the pit stops (typically the most exciting part of F1 races). It also would advance the art of swapping.

GSP

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

As far as I know only 1st Gen Formula E cars have been developped with that cookie cutter approach. In the future they will be allowed to develop their own cars -though i could not find details on that. However if the FIA wants to get car companies interested, they will have to allow that.

Exactly. They wanted to start with it being a competitive racing series and to get a good level of interest from teams, so they kept things simple.

Tesla doesn't want to be in racing right now. Besides, Tesla's batteries are designed to be cheap, and I'm sure there's better, more expensive tech out there.

Starts September in Beijing and in the USA should be shown on Fox Sports 1.