Electric motorsport: Mercedes leaves Formula E.

Mercedes wants to withdraw from the electric car race known as Formula E and is fully focused on Formula 1. The company is realigning its resources to the development of electric vehicles, according to Stuttgart. The upcoming eighth season of Formula E, slated to end in August 2022, will be the last Mercedes will participate in.

In the background, the announcement by Mercedes-Benz at the end of July of its intention to switch to all-electric before the end of this decade, “where market conditions allow”. as it says in a Mercedes ad. Resources are redistributed so that electrification can rise more quickly. This also includes the development of three new electrical architectures, which are to be introduced in 2025.

The company wishes to focus its factory involvement in racing on Formula 1 and thereby confirm “Formula 1’s status as the fastest development laboratory and as a test bed for future sustainable performance technologies. and scalable ”. Mercedes spokesman Bradley Lord told Heise online that internal combustion engines are still used in Formula 1, but not exclusively.

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“Since the launch of the first KERS hybrid in 2009, F1 has been an important laboratory for the development of electrical technologies such as electric motors, battery technology and control systems,” says Lord. “As of 2014, the F1 engine has two electric motors – a larger KERS motor on the rear axle and an electric turbocharger as well as battery and control software.” These technologies have already been transferred to hybrid vehicles by AMG and have provided important results for the development of electric vehicles.

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From 2025, Formula 1 will have an even greater proportion of electric motors, up to 50% of total production, Lord said. A 100% synthetic fuel will also be introduced there, which will be relevant in the future.

Formula E has been around since 2014, Mercedes is with HWA Racelab for the fifth season and the following season, with Stoffel Vandoorne, took his team’s first victory in Formula E. Last week Mercedes won the Drivers ‘and Drivers’ Championships. teams at what is now the ABB FIA Formula E racing series.

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