Revving Up for the Future: Nissan’s Formula E Innovations Propel Production EV Performance

Nissan observes significant overlap between its Formula E racing and consumer electric vehicles. For the 2023/24 season, Nissan's Formula E vehicle will sport the e-4orce label for the first time.

Indeed, the emblem spotted on the 2024 Nissan Ariya could become a familiar sight on Nissan's high-performance electric vehicles as we move forward.

At present, Nissan's commercial vehicles and their racing counterparts share few similarities, but the future may hold more integration between the two. This perspective was gleaned from an interview that Green Car Reports had with Tomasso Volpe, the team principal for Nissan's Formula E team, at the recent Formula E event in Portland.

Volpe compared his role to that of a company's chief executive officer who also oversees all the auxiliary functions. He envisions a future where Nissan's Formula E and their consumer electric vehicle projects become more intertwined.

This perspective isn't too shocking given that his company starkly differs from the string of detractors that have left Formula E, such as BMW, Audi, and Mercedes. This season, Nissan took the lead as the initial automaker to commit to Formula E's Gen 4 phase, extending until 2030.

2023 Model of the Nissan Ariya with e-4orce

2023 Model of Nissan Ariya with e-4orce Technology

2023 Model of Nissan Ariya with e-4orce Technology

At the heart of it all are productivity and energy recovery. The transition from the second to the third generation marked a significant evolution, with vehicles shedding weight and gaining speed and strength. They can now harness up to 600 kw through brake energy recovery, courtesy of the newly incorporated front motors. While these motors are currently utilized for this purpose, they are set to be adapted for propelling the vehicles forward in the upcoming Gen 3.5 update in the following season.

Volpe informed Green Car Reports that the team's primary takeaway from over a season with the Gen 3 car, even before the upcoming modifications, is the mastery of controlling the car's movement and the combined management of energy consumption and regeneration. He explained that regenerative braking is an integral element of the racing strategy, and without utilizing it, a car would only be able to complete approximately 60% of the race.

"Volpe noted significant advancements in the way we handle vehicle efficiency through the use of developed software tools and control systems for managing how the vehicle moves. He emphasized that the progress lies in enhancing the vehicle's dynamics, not in discovering new energy sources, but in optimizing the use of existing energy."

"Indeed, we've already equipped the car with e-4orce earlier this year, primarily as a marketing move," acknowledged Volpe. However, he promptly noted, "In the coming year, there will be instances when the vehicle's all-wheel-drive feature will be operational, and for those aspects, we are indeed tapping into Nissan's specialized knowledge."

Nissan's electric race car to be showcased in Portland, in the year

Ariya e-4orce imparts knowledge to Formula E…which educates the upcoming GT-R?

"We've got engineers on board from the e-4orce development team guiding us in optimizing all-wheel drive usage… they're showing us how to make the most out of the all-wheel drive system," he said.

Currently, Formula E vehicles haven't implemented the front motor to aid in propulsion. However, they are utilizing it for regenerative braking purposes, and Nissan has started to apply its expertise in chassis technology in this area.

Nissan has highlighted that the technology behind e-4orce has its origins in the development of its GT-R supercar. In addition, Ponz Pandikuthira, who is the senior vice president and chief planning officer, assured our affiliate site Motor Authority that Formula E will act as an experimental platform for the advancement of the upcoming generation of the GT-R.

In the upcoming year, the team plans to implement enhanced control techniques inspired by the sophisticated management of energy recapture during braking, which is a feature in Nissan's production vehicles, including the Ariya that utilizes e-4orce technology. On the equipment side, there will be a significant upgrade to the gearbox, drawing on innovative concepts and solutions from cutting-edge research and development out of Japan, which is expected to increase both performance and efficiency for the team.

2023 Edition of Nissan's Ariya with e-4orce

Following that, we anticipate the arrival of Generation 4, set to feature continuous all-wheel drive capabilities, in contrast to Generation 3.5 that provides intermittent front-wheel traction. "This allows us to utilize e-4orce throughout the entire race, and we view all-wheel drive as an essential technology for electric vehicles," Volpe stated.

He emphasizes that chassis management and vehicle dynamics are integral to Nissan's operations. Therefore, introducing an all-wheel-drive model will enable the exchange of extensive expertise in both directions.

Practical integration of Formula E into reality

Although this appears to be a smooth integration of competitive racing, research, and electric vehicle progression—a vision shared by Porsche, for example—this path hasn't been embraced by a number of major car manufacturers. Audi, BMW, and Mercedes are some of the prominent names that withdrew from Formula E right before the introduction of the latest Gen 3 for the 2022-2023 season.

All these car manufacturers had various justifications, but at some stage, all implied that the technology adoption from their Formula E experience to their consumer cars was minimal. Following a seven-year stint in Formula E, BMW expressed the bleakest outlook as it declared its withdrawal after the 2020-2021 season. The firm stated, "In terms of e-drivetrain development, the BMW Group believes it has tapped into all the potential benefits of this technology exchange in the competitive Formula E setting."

Audi announced its exit not long after, in 2021, citing its shift towards other racing events such as the Dakar Rally to "advance our knowledge in electric mobility in challenging environments," while Mercedes simply stated that the move was to redirect its efforts towards electric vehicle development.

Nissan's electric race car debuts in Portland, slated for 202

The technology utilized in battery development must be distinct

The head of the team acknowledges that not all the technologies in this area apply to production electric vehicles, including high-performance models. The battery stands out as a clear illustration due to its unique application. The goal in the racing context is to finish the race without any parts breaking down, as opposed to ensuring that the battery pack endures for 150,000 miles or beyond like in a consumer electric vehicle.

In the realm of electric vehicles aiming for track dominance, there are valuable insights to be gleaned. "Our primary challenge with the battery lies in its temperature management, striving to maintain it within the optimal range to maximize energy utilization efficiently. This aspect presents the most significant hurdle in battery performance, while the rest, such as the Battery Management System (BMS), remains relatively stable."

Teams in Formula E have unique priorities to consider. They can push their battery temperature to a maximum of 73.5 degrees Celsius while maintaining reasonable energy efficiency. However, they must be cautious to prevent further temperature increase, as hitting 74 degrees renders the battery inoperable for the race. The optimal temperature zone for the battery's performance is between 55 degrees and upwards. To address this, teams and the Formula E organization devise a plan regarding the initial battery temperature, which was set between 42-45 degrees for the upcoming race that the pit crew was gearing up for last Saturday.

Volpe pointed out that in some Formula E races, there are instances where cars finish with a significant amount of energy remaining, despite not making considerable efforts to regain places in the final laps. This indicates that the car's battery temperature may not have been effectively controlled.

Conversely, knowledge gained from the inverter, gearbox, and motor technology can be beneficial for manufacturing mainstream models. The same applies to information derived from high-tech materials such as carbon fiber.

Nissan's electric race car showcased in Portland during the 2024 Formula

This season, advancements in software are key for improving performance, says Volpe. The team now utilizes an advanced energy management system that enhances the strategic use of power and regeneration throughout the race.

According to the rules, it's technically possible to overhaul a car's entire software system between races. Naturally, the primary software remains unchanged, but there are various small programs we utilize. Some of these programs interface directly with the car's software, and they are regularly refreshed with updates.

Nissan's technical team believes they develop a fresh software iteration for each race. However, it must be prepared before the actual race begins. The FIA scrutinizes all the software code, apart from the offline instruments and any data analysis utilities.

In Formula E, the driver's role remains pivotal, as evidenced in Portland where a simple mistake by the driver, who deviated from his planned racing trajectory, grazed the grass, and lost control, ultimately determined the race's result.

Let me paint a mental image for you, since photography isn't permitted within Nissan's pit crew area: Tucked away from the usual pit-lane walkthroughs, Nissan granted me a quick peek at a monitoring hub bustling with activity, where multiple displays showcased a torrent of information such as driver simulations and thermal imagery. Simultaneously, a Paris-based squad is analyzing the same sets of information, strategizing and making recommendations based on numerous potential outcomes.

2024 Edition of the Nissan GT-R, dubbed the Skyline

Spanning cities like Portland, Paris, and Yokohama, it appears that Formula E is serving Nissan well as an off-site experimental platform. Similarly, Jaguar Land Rover has reported genuine increases in electric vehicle range thanks to advancements from Formula E technology.

Exiting the pit lane, I found myself musing: What innovations, perhaps in the realm of solid-state batteries or more advanced simulation technologies, might entice those other car manufacturers to recommit to Formula E, assuming they're reaping sufficient benefits from F1? The competition is fierce, yet it appears not all contenders view the contest through the same lens.

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