Atieva, the technology wing of Silicon Valley-based Lucid Motors, has earned an impressive vote of confidence. The Formula E electric racing series has chosen Atieva’s battery pack for a second consecutive season. The Atieva pack will power the entire 24-car Formula E field for the upcoming 2019/20 season, which will consist of 14 races.

Atieva’s battery pack enabled a substantial increase in range. In previous seasons, the cars had only enough battery capacity to get through half the race, so each driver had two cars, and switched cars in the middle.

To create the Formula E battery pack, Atieva’s engineers studied the company’s proprietary database of battery cells, and identified a cell type with the optimal blend of energy and power for racing. They then simulated a full race season at pack level. The team gave the pack a unique trapezium shape to integrate it into the aerodynamic and structural envelope of the race car. Finally, they performed further computer simulations to evaluate the pack’s thermal management and structural performance. Atieva also created the battery management system (BMS) software in-house.

“We were delighted with the performance of the pack in Season 5,” said Lucid CEO and CTO Peter Rawlinson. “We are proud that our technology has played a role in advancing this important form of motorsport and we look forward to the upcoming season.”

The latest issue of Race Tech Magazine includes an article about Atieva’s battery tech.

Source: Atieva