Lucid unveils an EV racing motor that’s already in Formula E cars

Lucid Group has shared an apparently timed push launch late this night/early this morning, relying on in which you reside. The American automaker has unveiled a new electric travel device designed specifically for motorsports, together with the “world’s leading single-seater electric racing series.” One look at the photo earlier mentioned is a apparent indicator this travel device is for Formula E, but superior continue to, Lucid shared that the technology is already existing in all of the Gen3 EVs competing in the ninth season of the championship sequence that commenced two weeks ago.

To really fully grasp how Lucid Group got involved in motorsports and how the hell it snuck its tech into System E without having several men and women noticing, you have to start off at the automaker’s commencing.

Back in late 2000’s, prolonged prior to the Lucid Air or even Lucid Motors for that make a difference, there was Atieva – the precursor to the Group that brought us the ultra-fast tri-motor Sapphire. Back then, nonetheless, Atieva, was focused on acquiring batteries and electrical powertrains for other auto producers, accumulating above 50 patents pertaining to its core battery technique in the United States alone.

By 2013, Atieva experienced turn out to be a really capable producer of connected battery packs and electric powered powertrains, so normally its staff began entertaining the plan of building a vehicle of its own. As destiny would have it, that’s when Tesla’s previous VP of Auto Engineering and Chief Engineer of the Design S, Peter Rawlinson, joined the workforce as Chief Technologies Officer.

Next a nine-determine round of funding a 12 months later on, Atieva commenced its journey to building what would develop into the Lucid Air, rebranding by itself along the way. Although a great deal of Lucid’s target the past 8 several years has been bringing its flagship EV to marketplace, it is pleasant to see the organization hasn’t forgotten exactly where it came from.

Improved nevertheless, Lucid has still been establishing innovative EV technological know-how for motorsports without producing a big offer about it. That could have some thing to do with the FIA, and it’s not like Lucid has hidden the point that its been performing with Formulation E … it’s just been performing so beneath a common pseudonym.

Lucid offers a nod to its roots by supporting Components E racing

If you have really been paying out awareness to Formula E the past two years (who has not correct? … appropriate?) Lucid’s information this morning must appear as minor shock. The Lucid Team was now establishing and supplying battery packs to the Formulation E motor vehicles less than the Atieva monicker when information came out in 2021 that it would be supplying the “front powertrain kit” to the championship racing series’ third generation of EVs.

Flash ahead two a long time, and in this article we are, sharing Lucid’s news about its “Atieva” know-how within Formula E cars without the need of specifically mentioning the series by identify. What’s even additional of a head scratcher is the timing by itself. Lucid dropped this bomb firecracker of news whilst you all had been sleeping and a whole two months soon after the Formulation E vehicles equipped with the generate models started racing. Far better late than never I suppose?

Okay, adequate about the strange love triangle among Lucid, Atieva, and Formulation E and back to the tech itself. This new electric entrance drive unit combines the motor, inverter, differential, and transmission into one particular cohesive device that generates 469 horsepower and is capable of a max rotor speed of 19,500 rpm.

Also, the generate unit only weighs 70.5 pounds (32 kg) – delivering power density that is a bit of a calling card for Lucid Motors these days. Light-weight energy is also fantastic for motorsports, but that possibly goes devoid of saying. Lucid Group CEO and CTO Peter Rawlinson shared his views:

With remarkable electricity density of 14.7 hp/kg and enormous vitality recuperation, this push unit will the moment once again renovate electric motorsports, adhering to in the footsteps of our groundbreaking battery pack in prior race seasons. For Lucid, the transfer of technologies between motorsports and street automobiles is a two-way symbiosis. This new motorsports drive device builds instantly upon the groundbreaking powertrain know-how designed in-home by Lucid and verified on the street in just about every Lucid Air. I’m psyched by the prospect that some of the complex developments launched may perhaps in turn make their way to future Lucid street autos

Lucid explains that when you tune into Formula E, the nose cone of every single Gen3 race auto is becoming powered by its new travel unit, which also provides regenerative power recovery from the entrance wheels less than braking. The automaker points out that this style and design enhances the racing EV’s general performance, efficiency, and “relevance to road car progression.”

The procedure also attributes the exact same superior-voltage, ongoing wave winding and proprietary microjet cooling method existing in the Lucid Air, even though my income is in all probability on the Method E racer when it arrives to the observe.

So what do you feel? Shocked?

Are you much more fascinated to examine out System E now? Round 2 starts off in Diriyah on January 27.