The
organizers of the FIA Formula E Championship revealed their next-generation
electric racer. Several participating automakers also showcased their takes on
the new design. But PSA’s DS brand is the first to actually put theirs to the
test.
The French marque took its new E-Tense FE 19 out for the first time onto its
factory test track in Versailles, France, on the outskirts of Paris.
The battery-powered single-seater packs a 335-horsepower electric powertrain with a 54-kWh energy cell. Its improved
capacity will obviate the need for the mid-race car swaps that have
characterized the ePrix races to date. It also features a brake-by-wire system,
and promises to deliver even better performance than the Spark SRT-01E that has
served as the backbone of the series until now.
The new crop of cars will make their race debut
later this year when the fifth season kicks off. The full calendar and list of
entries has yet to be finalized. But DS partners with the Virgin Racing team in
the series, with British drivers Sam Bird and Alex Lynn currently behind the
wheel. Bird won the opening round this season in Hong Kong, and has scored two
more podium finishes so far to sit third place in the standings, elevating his
team along with him to the same place in the teams’ championship. The next race
is scheduled to take place in Rome on April 14.
