BMW confirms Season five entry to Formula E
BMW will join Formula E as an official manufacturer for Season Five. The German spectacle car giant has confirmed that it will build a brand fresh powertrain to be used by the Andretti team in 2018/Nineteen.
BMW wants to use its involvement in the all-electric racing series to help develop the technology used in the next generation of its electrified cars.
“Through our involvement in Formula E, we are addressing the development towards sustainable and emission-free mobility in the automobile industry and are also making a contribution to the brand’s progression to BMW iNEXT,” said Klaus Fröhlich, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Development. “This project is meticulously driven by technology. We are using Formula E as a development laboratory, operating under the unique conditions that prevail in motor racing – with very unique requests and opportunities. The borders inbetween production and motor racing development are more blurred at BMW i Motorsport than in any other project. The result is a technology transfer on a entire fresh level. We are certainly certain that the BMW Group will benefit greatly from the practice gained in the field of electrotechnology during this project.”
BMW has been involved with Formula E since its inception as the Official Vehicle Playmate of the series, suppling the BMW i8 safety car and i3 medical and course cars. However, this will be the very first time it has built its own powertrain for the all-electric series.
BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt said: “Formula E has developed fantastically as a racing series and, as a fresh, technology-based project, is flawlessly suited to the BMW Group and BMW Motorsport. Forging fresh paths and driving innovation – these are values collective by BMW and Formula E. Because it is very significant for us to demonstrate our technological expertise, we have shown a stiff commitment to this project through the registration of BMW AG as an official manufacturer and are facing up to the growing competition there. The switches we required for our involvement will come into effect in Season five – these include, for example, the omission of the car changeover. We are already eyeing in our development work that colleagues from the production and motorsport departments are collaborating in a downright fresh way. The result is fresh paths, which we are forging together in the matter of electrified drivetrains. In Formula E, we will demonstrate both our innovative expertise and our sporting spirit. The series represents a downright fresh challenge for us – a challenge we are glad to take on together with Andretti Formula E. Andretti is the ideal playmate for this mission. The name needs no introduction in international motor racing. Our cooperation is already working very well, and we look forward to taking the next steps together.”
BMW joined coerces with Andretti during Season two and has been providing technical support. But this announcement takes its involvement to the next level.
“We are excited to expand our partnership with BMW i and serve as BMW’s official Formula E works team beginning in Season Five,” said Michael Andretti, CEO of Andretti Autosport and its global family of race teams. “The ongoing collaboration inbetween BMW and Andretti Formula E has provided a strong foundation for BMW’s entry as an official manufacturer. We look forward to running BMW’s very first all-electric racing drivetrain and challenging for the Formula E Championship. BMW is leading the automotive future with the BMW i line and their innovation in electrical car technology. I couldn’t pick a more prestigious or historic manufacturer to work with in Formula E.”
BMW confirms Season five entry to Formula E – Formula E
BMW confirms Season five entry to Formula E
BMW will join Formula E as an official manufacturer for Season Five. The German spectacle car giant has confirmed that it will build a brand fresh powertrain to be used by the Andretti team in 2018/Nineteen.
BMW wants to use its involvement in the all-electric racing series to help develop the technology used in the next generation of its electrified cars.
“Through our involvement in Formula E, we are addressing the development towards sustainable and emission-free mobility in the automobile industry and are also making a contribution to the brand’s progression to BMW iNEXT,” said Klaus Fröhlich, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Development. “This project is accurately driven by technology. We are using Formula E as a development laboratory, operating under the unique conditions that prevail in motor racing – with very unique requests and opportunities. The borders inbetween production and motor racing development are more blurred at BMW i Motorsport than in any other project. The result is a technology transfer on a entire fresh level. We are certainly certain that the BMW Group will benefit greatly from the practice gained in the field of electrotechnology during this project.”
BMW has been involved with Formula E since its inception as the Official Vehicle Playmate of the series, suppling the BMW i8 safety car and i3 medical and course cars. However, this will be the very first time it has built its own powertrain for the all-electric series.
BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt said: “Formula E has developed fantastically as a racing series and, as a fresh, technology-based project, is flawlessly suited to the BMW Group and BMW Motorsport. Forging fresh paths and driving innovation – these are values collective by BMW and Formula E. Because it is very significant for us to demonstrate our technological expertise, we have shown a rock-hard commitment to this project through the registration of BMW AG as an official manufacturer and are facing up to the growing competition there. The switches we required for our involvement will come into effect in Season five – these include, for example, the omission of the car changeover. We are already witnessing in our development work that colleagues from the production and motorsport departments are collaborating in a totally fresh way. The result is fresh paths, which we are forging together in the matter of electrified drivetrains. In Formula E, we will demonstrate both our innovative expertise and our sporting spirit. The series represents a entirely fresh challenge for us – a challenge we are blessed to take on together with Andretti Formula E. Andretti is the ideal fucking partner for this mission. The name needs no introduction in international motor racing. Our cooperation is already working very well, and we look forward to taking the next steps together.”
BMW joined coerces with Andretti during Season two and has been providing technical support. But this announcement takes its involvement to the next level.
“We are excited to expand our partnership with BMW i and serve as BMW’s official Formula E works team beginning in Season Five,” said Michael Andretti, CEO of Andretti Autosport and its global family of race teams. “The ongoing collaboration inbetween BMW and Andretti Formula E has provided a strong foundation for BMW’s entry as an official manufacturer. We look forward to running BMW’s very first all-electric racing drivetrain and contesting for the Formula E Championship. BMW is leading the automotive future with the BMW i line and their innovation in electrical car technology. I couldn’t pick a more prestigious or historic manufacturer to work with in Formula E.”