Amongst the glitz and glamour that the Principality has to offer, and ahead of this weekend’s Monaco E-Prix, all attention turned to the latest model of car that will be used for the next two years, starting from next season.
At first glance, the Gen3 Evo looks almost entirely the same as its predecessor but, as ever with racing cars, it’s in the detail where the differences lie. A reprofiled and sturdier front wing should mean less of them are damaged during races – a recurring theme given the close-pack racing Formula E has produced of late. The sidepods have also been trimmed meaning the whole package is more streamlined, and in theory, should suffer from less aerodynamic drag.
Even so, on this front, it's still expected that the peloton style of pack racing that has plagued Formula E since the inception of the Gen3 will remain.
But it’s under the bodywork where the biggest change occurs and is in relation to the front powertrain. The component has been part of the Gen3 machine since its introduction ahead of the 2023 campaign, but only now will it be used to provide power to the front wheels, offering all-wheel-drive (AWD) for the first time in an FIA single-seater championship.
A maximum output of up to 50kW will be sent to the front wheels from the total limit of 350kW, with the remaining power driven to the rear axle. It should be pointed out, though, that the use of AWD will be limited to certain situations, including the qualifying duels when 350kW of power is active, at the start of the race and during both Attack Mode activations.
While AWD is a concept widely used in other avenues of motorsport, including the World Rally and World Endurance championships, its use in single-seaters is largely new territory.
Source: Autosport