Continuing its participation in the increasingly popular Formula E series, Nissan used the eve of the Tokyo Motor Show to show the redesigned race car that will compete in the next season.
Nissan’s Formula E car has a new Japan-inspired look for season six of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship series. The red, black, and white design was inspired by a Japanese kimono and the color scheme will also be used on the Nissan Leaf Nismo RC, a performance version of the Leaf with a dual electric motor. The final design came after a call to about 40 in-house designers to submit concepts.
“As we approach the beginning of our second season of Formula E competition, our design team proposed a new look, one that celebrates our Japanese heritage and vibrant technology DNA,” said Alfonso Albaisa, Nissan’s senior vice president for global design. “We used our iconic Nissan racing red, black, and white colors layered diagonally in a kimono pattern, which creates a dynamic and powerful impression.”
While the car has changed, the drivers have not, with Sebastien Buemi and Oliver Rowland returning to form the Nissan e.dams team and show off Nissan’s electric car technology and use the lessons learned to advance the electric car lineup the automaker is rolling out.
For season six, the powertrain was updated to meet new regulations. It replaces the dual electric-motor system used in season five which drove Nissan to second place in the championship with six podium finishes, six pole positions, and 16 Super Pole qualifying appearances, and a win during the final race weekend in New York.
“With a major change to a single-motor solution, we had plenty to do in the off-season. We’ll use everything we learned from season five to improve our package, with an even greater emphasis on battery and energy management,” said Michael Carcamo, Nissan’s global motorsports director.
Season six of Formula E will kick off next month in Saudi Arabia. Fourteen races will be held in 12 cities.