The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team will enter its fourth year in the all-electric Formula E single-seater World Championship from the 2023 season, running a Porsche 99X Electric Gen3. Seven automakers have registered to race the new Gen3 in Season 9. They are DS Automobiles, Jaguar, Mahindra, Maserati, NIO, Nissan and Porsche.
This third generation of racing cars will be the fastest, lightest, most powerful and efficient electric racing cars ever built. The intention behind the development of the new Gen3 cars is to set new benchmarks in motorsport in terms of performance, efficiency and sustainability – the goal of the FIA and the Formula E organization.
The overall concept of the 99X Electric Gen3 and the other contenders of the new Formula E generation constitute a major evolutionary step. The cars have reduced weight and feature a shorter wheelbase and narrower track. While the battery pack has shrunk in size, it is more powerful. The proportion of recuperative energy has grown.
The aerodynamics and design have also undergone modifications. All in all, the new vehicles are more agile, which also improves performance on the racetrack.
Developed in-house by Porsche Motorsport, the powertrain can generate maximum drive power of 350 kW on the rear axle – 100 kW more than the predecessor generation (Gen2). The electric motor achieves about 95% power efficiency compared to around 40% for an internal combustion engine. Over 40% of the energy used is recuperated via regenerative braking.
This will also be the first-ever formula car with both front and rear powertrains. The new front powertrain adds 250 kW to the 350 kW at the rear, resulting in energy recovery with an output of up to 600 kW – more than double the regenerative capability of the Gen2 powertrains.
The new ultra-high-speed charging capacity of the Gen3 racing cars should add around 600 kW of energy during the race. This means that the chargers of the new Formula E generation would be almost twice as powerful as the world’s most advanced commercial chargers. Moreover, the fast-charge technology should guarantee a consistently high battery performance.
According to the component manufacturer, the battery cells in the new Gen3 cars are made from sustainably sourced minerals. After every race season, the battery cells can be reused or recycled. For the construction of the carbonfibre bodywork, the manufacturer states that recycled carbonfibre is used from retired Gen2 cars. This should reduce the carbon footprint of production by more than 10%.
Natural rubber and recycled fibres will make up 26% of new Gen3 tyres and all tyres will be fully recycled after racing.
To determine measures that can help reduce environmental impact, the carbon footprint of new Formula E racing cars is measured from the very start of the design phase. All unavoidable emissions will be offset as part of Formula E’s net zero carbon commitment.
The striking new look of the Porsche racing car was inspired by the Porsche brand purpose ‘Driven by Dreams’. It signifies individuality, uniqueness and a future-oriented progressive zeitgeist that also appeals to a younger target group.
“There’s a sense of excited anticipation as we head into Season 9 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship season. Our team and our drivers António Félix da Costa and Pascal Wehrlein still have a lot of work to do ahead of the first race with our new Porsche 99X Electric Gen3 in Mexico on 14 January. However, we’re confident that we’ll make further progress before the start of the season and that we will be in a good position when the cards are reshuffled amongst the teams with the arrival of the new cars,” said Florian Modlinger, Director Factory Motorsport Formula E.