F1 vs Formula E

Ruslan

Podium Finisher
Noticed an article on the "common" F1 news: GPGuide | News - Formula E-F1 merger 'would be great' - Vergne

A few quotes from the article:

1. "...I think we [Formula E] will be the only motor sport left in 20, 30, 40 years."
2. "In 2030 there will only be electric cars..."
3. "..I sometimes hear that one day the two series could merge..."

So...2030 there will only be electric cars? That is only 11 years from now. I have owned cars for longer than that.
 
Ahhh, the naivety of youth.
There's a big difference between driving 200 miles around a track and 200 miles between sites.
There's a lot more mileage left for the internal combustion engine.
 
Ahhh, the naivety of youth.

I was amused by some of those comments.

There's a lot more mileage left for the internal combustion engine.

Yes, but when do we reach the point when is a disappearing item on the roads and when it ceases to be the power unit for major racing series? Will it be as soon at 2030?
 
In 11 years time the vast majority of cars on the road will be either electric or PHEV and I/C engines will be something we go shows to look at like we now do with shire horses and steam engines. F1 will either have to go fully electric or will, at some point, simply be banned because it is too polluting.

This change will drive more motorsport and take it back to it's roots as it becomes a proving ground for new technology. I suspect we will have a fully electric category at Le Mans in the next 10 to 20 years and cars able to run for 24 hours at speeds close to current petrol or diesel motors.
 
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When I first saw the title of this thread I thought it was going to be different and would make me get in my high horse a little. I hate the F1 Vs Formula E tact taken elsewhere. Formula E is not Formula One and if you compare it to it the its always going to look a bit shit. It's a new racing catogry using new tech and doing a good job of showing how far it can be pushed. It's lights years away from the professional scene Formula One is but that doesn't make it any less good to watch. I can see that's not the tact this article is taking though and a genuine discussion on the future of racing so I'll save my rant.

I'll be honest I think Formula E is the FIAs experiment and pre-plan for Motorsport if the world switches from combustion engines to electric. Other than his optimisation on timing I don't think Vergne is far wrong. If it's looks like electric is the future then they'll just merge Formula E into Formula One and have a pre tested set of rules, regs and tech meaning the sport doesn't have to start from scratch.

As for if the world will go full electric cars I don't know. How far the tech For Formula E has come from the time of its conception to now though is staggering and proof that if car companies put their mind to developing electric vehicles it can be done.
 
There is nothing to stop an electric car competing in F1 except the engine regulations, if that hurdle is cleared then the fuel and the battery pack should be treated as equals based on a calorific value of their power outputs. The electric car would be heavier however the power unit would be lighter power for weight, I'm sure a formula could be worked out as in the naturally aspirated engines and the turbo. the combustion engine would come in for fuel the E car a new battery pack.
Wouldn't like to be the guy that proposed the equivalent formula, on a hiding to nothing, similar to a PM trying to organise Brexit, no one will be happy:givemestrength:LOL
 
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In 11 years time the vast majority of cars on the road will be either electric or PHEV and I/C engines will be something we go shows to look at like we now do with shire horses and steam engines. F1 will either have to go fully electric or will, at some point, simply be banned because it is too polluting.

Will that really be the case? I have not looked at the statistics....but probably over 95% of the cars/trucks/vans being sold in the U.S. in 2019 are not electric. A lot of people hold onto their cars for a decade or longer. Don't know how you get to 50% in 11 years. Here are some stats in percent of cars that are electric by country: Electric car use by country - Wikipedia

So the market share in the U.S. was 0.66% (less than 1%) in 2015. It was 22% in Norway.....but less than 1% in 2015 in China and Germany. 2017 stats are 1.13% for the U.S., 1.74% for Europe, and 39.2% for Norway. So this may be the case for Norway, but it doesn't look like it will be for the rest of the world, unless the percent of electric cars sold changes rather dramatically in the next couple of years.

This change will drive more motorsport and take it back to it's roots as it becomes a proving ground for new technology. I suspect we will have a fully electric category at Le Mans in the next 10 to 20 years and cars able to run for 24 hours at speeds close to current petrol or diesel motors.

They probably should put an electric category in Le Mans...but.....I don't get the impression that they are anywhere near being able to the run for the duration that they need. Suspect they will have to use some form of quick change batteries.
 
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The US will always be behind the curve on the uptake of electric vehicles, in Europe however things will move more quickly. I know government targets are a moving feast but this article helps to explain UK Government ambitions WRT electric cars - UK Government confirms ban on conventional petrol and diesel cars in 2040

Should the UK eventually leave the EU there will be a race to see who can be "more green" as the EU and UK attempt to out down each other in this regard (this is already happening BTW). What will drive the US will be State legislation and, as always on environmental issues, California will lead the way.

These ambition do pose as many questions as answers. How will we be able to charge all these cars? Where will the electricity come from to power them? What will happen to all the existing I/C engined cars? How can those on low or moderate incomes replace their existing cars at a reasonable cost?

China is making huge advances in renewable energy and, I suspect, has the political will to stop I/C engines faster than any other nation. After all, to own a car in China you have to have permission from the state which is which the uptake per capita is low compared to western car ownership. The next requirement will be that it has to be an electric car (unless you are a party member and then you can do what you like).

Electric is the future, whether we like it or not. The question, as you point out, will be the speed of change.
 
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