Nissan first Japanese carmaker to debut in FIA Formula E racing in 2018-19 season

The ongoing Tokyo Motor Show 2017 is all about the development of new generation of smarter, friendlier, technological advanced and electric mobility. In an announcement earlier long Renault that has been a inaugural participant for the FIA Formula E Championship has announced its departure from the championship in the season commencing 2017-18. At the same time its global alliance partner Nissan has announced that it will make its debut next season.

Renault has won three consecutive FE Teams’ title in Montreal at the end of July, 2017. Renault will compete in the last leg of the ongoing championship’s Season 4 that will run till July, 2018. Commenting on the exit, Thierry Koskas, executive VP sales and marketing, Group Renault, said “We had an incredible championship run during our first three years in Formula E and look forward to a competitive fourth season with the benefit of a very stable environment at Renault. After Season 4 we will focus resources on our aggressive goals for Formula 1 and we look forward to continuing to gain benefits from motorsport racing across the Alliance with Nissan.”

Nissan’s Debut

Nissan has become the first Japanese carmaker to plug into the FIA Formula E championship. Started in 2014, the FIA Formula E championship is a global racing series where teams and manufacturers compete with all-electric powertrains on street circuits set up in major urban centres around the world. India’s Mahindra & Mahindra is one of them.

Nissan joins Audi, DS Automobiles, Faraday Future (FF), Jaguar Racing, Mahindra Racing, MS Amlin Andretti, NextEV NIO Formula E Team, Techeetah, and Venturi to become the 11th team in the championship.

According to the Nissan, the move to participate in the growing Formula E series will give it a global platform to spread the message of Nissan Intelligent Mobility – its three-pillar strategy to redefine how its vehicles are driven, powered and integrated into society.

Commenting on the participation, Daniele Schillaci, executive VP, Global Marketing and Sales, zero-emission vehicles and battery business, and chairman of Nissan's management committee for Japan, Asia and Oceania, said: "As the ultimate expression of the thrill of instant acceleration and agile handling that's at the heart of Nissan zero-emission driving, Nissan is going to electrify the Formula E championship. Nissan will be the first Japanese brand to enter this growing championship, bringing our long history of motorsports success to the Formula E grid. It will give us a global platform for bringing our pioneering Nissan Intelligent Mobility strategy to a new generation of racing fans."

Turning over a new Leaf

Last month Nissan had unveiled the new generation of its popular EV, the new Leaf. The second generation of the five-door all-electric vehicle is packed with ingenious technology and early steps of advanced driver assistance. The company has sold more than 280,000 Leafs globally, and its customers have driven more than 3.5 billion zero-emission kilometres combined.

 "Nissan's DNA is rich in innovation in electric mobility, not to mention a long history of success in motorsports," added Schillaci. "It makes sense that we bring these two core elements together by competing in Formula E."

Commenting on Nissan’s announcement to compete in Formula E, Alejandro Agag, founder and CEO, Formula E said, "To have a name like Nissan coming on board is a momentous day for the series, not only is it great to welcome a new manufacturer to the Formula E family – it's great to see our first Japanese manufacturer entering the frame, showing truly how global the electric revolution is. Japan is a country at the forefront of new technologies, with one of the biggest followings of Formula E. The shift toward sustainable mobility is in motion, and it's unstoppable. I look forward to seeing the Nissan logo adorned on the new-look cars for season five."

Nissan will compete from season five, which is expected to begin in late 2018, when the all-electric championship will introduce new chassis and battery specifications. The company will work with its partner Renault to leverage expertise and development already available, in keeping with the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi automotive partnership's focus on collaboration and maximizing synergies to boost competitiveness.

Season four of Formula E begins this December and runs until July. The global championship visits key venues including Hong Kong, Berlin, Paris, New York and Montreal.

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