Porsche has unveiled some details of its new Gen4 car that recently completed several test days alongside fellow manufacturers in Spain. So far the development car has completed 1,472 test kilometres at Monteblanco in November and Almeira last month.
Nico Mueller and Pascal Wehrlein have both driven the car, which set the fastest lap time at the Almeira test and completed 210 laps across the three days of running.
The 600 kW, permanent all-wheel drive car will deliver the biggest performance leap seen in the championship to date when it races for the first time this December.
Porsche Motorsport says that it will test the car until October, which if when the homologation period ends, and will then ‘continue to develop what is its most extensive hardware package for Formula E to date.
Porsche added that ‘thereafter, the focus will shift to the continuous optimisation of the software. In many respects, the development cycles in the race series mirror those for Porsche sports cars – albeit under extreme conditions.’
“In Formula E, we primarily develop the technical components that are relevant for our production sports cars,” says Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsport.
“That is one of the reasons why we compete in Formula E.” With the introduction of GEN4, these in-house developments have essentially expanded to include two additional components: the DC/DC converter and the brake-by-wire system.
Porsche’s in-house developments to date already include the operating software, pulse inverter, electric motor, gearbox, differential, drive shafts and other drivetrain components on the rear axle, as well as cooling, carrier and suspension components at the rear.
Florian Modlinger, Director Factory Motorsport Formula E: “With the current car, the efficiency of our drivetrain is over 97 %.
“From the battery to the wheel, less than 3 % of the energy used is lost – close to perfection and a key advantage of electric drive. In our development brief for GEN4, alongside further efficiency gains in the drivetrain components, we focused on potential in terms of weight, durability and costs – similar to EVs for the road.
“At the same time, 600 kW represents a 71 % increase in power in Attack Mode. Overall, I believe it is fair to speak of a revolution. Seeing the car on track for the first time with its acceleration was a real pleasure and my thanks go to the development team in Flacht for this milestone in the project,” concluded Modlinger.
Gen4 Timeline
- Spring/Summer 2024 – Porsche concept phase begins in 2024.
- Summer/Autumn 2024: First simulator work begins
- Late Summer 2025: Manufacturers start receiving key components
- Autumn 2025: Build of development car
- November 2025: Porsche adjust their FE model by announcing second factory team
- October 2025: First miles on development car
- November 2025: First group test at Monteblanco
- January 2026: Second group test at Almeira
- Feb to Sept: Group and private testing continues
- Autumn 2026 – Homologation processes and delivery of cars to customer (likely to be CUPRA Kiro) and build-up of four factory race cars
- December 2026 – Probable first race
