The much anticipated wait for the Formula E car was put to an end on Monday in Las Vegas. The city witnessed a glamorous debut of the first Formula E car. This car is expected to be a part of an upcoming motor racing competition for electric cars. The competition, featuring a total of 10 races will be controlled by FIA, the global governing body for motor racing. The super-sleek Spark-Renault SRT-01E, is capable of doing speeds of above 225 km/hr (150 miles).
Paul Jacobs, chief executive of Qualcomm, one of the corporate sponsors for the event, was quoted as saying, “The Formula E is the future of the automobile, and I think this will change the perception of electric vehicles”. At the event, Brazilian driver, Lucas di Grassi demonstrated incredible capabilities of this fully electronic machine to a curious set of onlookers and journalists. Engrossed in a conversation, Grassi was reported as stating, “It`s a different feeling from anything else, you have to be more precise... but it is more efficient."
The upcoming Formula E event shall have 10 teams, with two drivers for each team. Alejandro Agag, chief of Formula E, anticipates that the championship may stimulate investments in electric vehicles and change their image for good. Agag was also heard as saying, “Formula E is a championship with a mission. Electric cars have been perceived as slow... we want more consumers to get an electric car”.
Qualcomm has been working with automakers for quite a while. They aim to get more connectivity for vehicle navigation, convenience and other functions. Qualcomm has been seeking long-term projects that provide wireless charging of electric vehicles using embedded devices on highways. Jacob has also mentioned that Qualcomm has made an investment as part of the company's mission to improve technology and get more connected devices across sectors.
The Formula E championship race shall last for around an hour. The batteries have been designed to sustain for 25 minutes, which means that the drivers may require regular pit stops and may have to change vehicles at intervals. The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas provided a right platform for the Formula E car.
