Porsche 99X Electric Gen3 Formula E car launched with 469bhp
The first of the third-generation Formula E contenders has been revealed. Here’s the Porsche 99X.
Porsche has revealed its 99X Electric Formula E car in Italy, giving us an official look at our first third-generation Formula E racer. Now with a significant increase in power, a reduction in weight and a boost in efficiency over previous cars, the series is set to be more exciting than ever before.
Due to make its race debut in January at the Mexico City E-Prix, the 99X will go head-to-head with entries from the likes of Jaguar, McLaren and Maserati among a fresh grid of next-generation racers. As the technology has advanced since Formula E’s 2014 inception, the FIA has tweaked regulations to allow for more entertaining racing, while improving safety and overall performance with each generation.
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Florian Modlinger, Director Factory Motorsport Formula E, said: 'The new Gen3 vehicles, including our Porsche 99X Electric Gen3, will hopefully make the races even more spectacular for fans and give the popularity of Formula E worldwide even more of a boost.'
New on the 99X is a smaller battery but thanks to advances in cell technology, it holds more capacity than before. As a result, weight is lower, with the wheelbase shortened and the track narrower than before for increased agility. Perhaps the most significant change is to output, with power rising from 335bhp to a potent 469bhp from its new Porsche Motorsport-developed powertrain.
Despite an increase in power, efficiency has seen a significant improvement in the 99X, with the new system able to recover up to 600kW of energy under deceleration, twice the amount of Gen2 cars – brake-by-wire friction brakes are also included for use once that capacity has been expended.
Though not particularly relevant to spectators, the Porsche 99X will also be able to take advantage of Formula E’s new ‘ultra-high-speed’ charging infrastructure, capable of adding up to 600kW of energy – for reference, the most powerful public chargers for road cars can currently output 350kW.
The design is somewhat divisive, intended to appeal to a 'young audience' with its angular aesthetic and open-wheel format. Stack the 99X head-to-head with the Gen2 car and there's a significant reduction in overall volume, with its appearance smaller thanks to the removal of wheel arches and a simplification of the front and rear aero.
This being Formula E, sustainability is also a high priority, with the third generation cars utilising battery cells made from sustainably sourced minerals, and each of these reused or recycled once the season is over. Even the carbonfibre bodywork helps to reduce Formula E’s carbon footprint, with each car featuring recycled materials from retired Gen2 racers.
