Nissan's Role Unveiled in Formula E's Season 11 Competition
Nissan has announced that drivers Oliver Rowland and Norman Nato will return for the 2025/26 Formula E season, continuing the Japanese automaker's six-season journey in electric racing.
Nissan's involvement in Formula E started with its 'road-to-track' approach, leveraging its expertise from building half a million Leaf electric cars to develop its Formula E powertrain. However, the company has now flipped this approach, using its Formula E technology for future electric cars, known as its 'Test bed for innovation'. This allows the engineers on the Formula E team to feed data back to the road car programme in Nissan's Japan headquarters.
The Nissan Formula E Gen3 Evo race car features advanced electric powertrain technology and aerodynamic design aimed at maximising performance and efficiency in electric racing. The Gen3 Evo chassis integrates innovations such as a steering damper system to reduce driver hand injuries during crashes. This system, developed in collaboration with Spark Racing Technology and the FIA, reduces steering wheel rotation force in crashes without interfering with normal driving control.
The car’s regenerative braking system plays a crucial role, capturing kinetic energy during braking and converting it back into electrical energy to recharge the battery in real time, enhancing overall energy efficiency and extending race duration without pit stops. This system is a key feature of Gen3 Formula E cars, which now have battery durability capable of lasting an entire race without swapping.
Attack Mode, a strategic power boost feature in Formula E, temporarily increases the car’s power output when activated, allowing drivers to gain an overtaking advantage or defend a position. While the precise implementation details of Attack Mode on Nissan’s Gen3 Evo are not extensively covered, it is known as a common feature in Formula E races and was used effectively by Nissan drivers to advance positions during races. Attack Mode requires drivers to pass through specific activation zones off the racing line, adding a tactical layer to racing strategy.
Nissan also supplies its EV powertrain technology to McLaren Racing for the Formula E Gen3 era, reflecting the advanced and competitive nature of their systems.
In summary, the Nissan Gen3 Evo uses a highly efficient electric powertrain with integrated regenerative braking to optimise battery use during races. A steering damper system improves driver safety by reducing steering wheel rotation force in crashes without interfering with normal driving control. Attack Mode provides a temporary power increase, adding tactical opportunities during races, utilised by Nissan drivers to gain track positions. The technology underscores durability improvements allowing use of the same car and battery for the entire race duration without performance loss.
Abbi Pulling, one of Nissan's drivers, described driving a Formula E car as having "insane" acceleration, feeling "odd" due to the lack of gears, and requiring drivers to "drive three different cars all in one, taking regen and such into consideration". Team principal Tommaso Volpe mentioned that the drivers have already developed resilience towards Formula E racing, and that helping them focus on the next race often helps.
Volpe also stated that only six manufacturers exist in Formula E, and that while Nissan has its own car, McLaren also uses a Nissan car, with both teams competing for championships. Volpe began his automotive career with Ferrari in 2008, joined Lotus in 2009, and then Nissan in April 2020.
Nissan's Formula E team consists of drivers Norman Nato and Oliver Rowland, reserve and simulator driver Sérgio Sette Câmara, rookie driver Abbi Pulling, and team principal Tommaso Volpe.
Nissan's return to Formula E for the 2025/26 season marks its continuous journey in electric racing, with the company using its Formula E technology to develop future electric vehicles. Nissan's Formula E Gen3 Evo race car, equipped with advanced electric powertrain and aerodynamic design, showcases technology that feeds back into the development of road cars.
Finance plays a significant role in the automotive industry, particularly with electric vehicles (EVs) like the Nissan Formula E car. The company's partnership with McLaren Racing for the Gen3 era demonstrates the competitive finance and technology landscape of the EV industry.
The Nissan Formula E team, comprising drivers like Oliver Rowland and Norman Nato, operates under the guidance of team principal Tommaso Volpe, bringing together sports and racing expertise from the automotive industry.
The sports of racing and technology are at the heart of Formula E, with features such as Attack Mode providing tactical opportunities for drivers during races. The regenerative braking system, a crucial element in Formula E, is also a key feature in Nissan's electric cars, improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon footprint in the transportation sector.
