Portland, Oregon becomes fourth race for venue for ABB Formula E in US, ABB’s largest market.
For the fourth time this season, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will bring its unique blend of fierce competition and sustainable technology to a new city for the all-electric series. The shift to Portland, Oregon, for race 12 on June 24, relocates the US round to the Pacific Northwest from New York City, a host venue sine 2017.
As a first-time site for the series, the 12-turn Portland International Raceway puts the 11 teams on equal footing once again, none having the advantage of performance data acquired in prior years. Though the track, whose attractions include views of the 11,200-foot Mount Hood to the east, is well known in motorsports – it’s a stalwart of the American IndyCar championship – the combination of an unfamiliar racecourse and the Gen3 cars creates logistical puzzles for Formula E drivers, engineers and mechanics.
The challenges presented by the 3.2-kilometer (2 mile) Portland circuit are particularly vexing, in part because of the high speeds possible on the sweeping back section and the considerable start-finish straight. That makes the Southwire Portland E-Prix an ideal learning opportunity for ABB, the official charging partner of Formula E, whose expertise in efficiency and energy management has established it as a global leader in electrification.
At the team level, responsibility for working out the race-day game plan falls to individuals like Matt Crossan, the energy and race strategy engineer for Mahindra Racing. To make sure the team’s drivers – Lucas di Grassi, an ABB Ambassador, and Roberto Merhi – will be able to finish the race at the fastest possible pace, Crossan must weigh multiple factors.
“With the battery capacity a bit smaller in the Gen3 cars, every bit of energy a driver can save in the race is valuable,” Crossan says. “Tactics like slipstreaming become much more important,” he added, acknowledging the practice of closely following the car ahead to reduce aerodynamic drag, and save energy, by an amount large enough to make delaying an overtake move worthwhile.
That’s just the start of the in-race calculations that must be made. The addition of a front powertrain in the Gen3 cars raises regeneration capability by 250 kW – to a total of 600 kW – so there’s less use of the hydraulic brakes, resulting in races that are closer to being flat-out contests. In general, use of the lift-and-coast technique to charge the battery has been reduced, and there’s less concern about using all its reserves before the race distance is complete. But there’s no free lunch, Crossan is quick to point out: “The front motor’s energy contribution means we now have to watch battery temperature – there’s not much margin – which can limit regeneration. And teams don’t have a free hand to adjust battery cooling, as the opening of its radiator is determined by the supplier before we race.”
Timing of Attack Mode usage is another factor considered in the energy management strategy, and it depends on how readily any positions lost in the detour to the activation zone can be regained. To a degree, Crossan says, qualifying has become less critical in Season 9 – making it into the duels for a grid spot in the top eight leaves a driver well positioned for a podium finish. Leading from the start is not a necessity for a strong finish, and if the energy management is planned properly, it may even be a disadvantage at some tracks.
As one of the US states with the highest per-capita sales of EVs, Oregon provides an ideal setting to showcase the Formula E message that sustainable, zero-carbon mobility and extreme performance are fully compatible. ABB’s local involvement extends to public transportation support, providing chargers for the Portland region’s TriMet electric bus fleet, which use electricity generated entirely by wind.
The Pacific Northwest, where hydroelectric energy is abundant, is a promising area for the growth of e-mobility suppliers; recent developments include commitments by two makers of EV batteries to build new factories in Moses Lake, Washington, about 300 miles northeast of Portland. In the broader picture, ABB’s foothold in the US is substantial, with 50 manufacturing facilities and 20,000 employees as well as a new EV charger factory in Columbia, South Carolina.
Earlier this year, ABB announced a $170 million investment in the US, reflecting the increased demand for electrification and automation products. This includes the opening of a $100m drives and services manufacturing facility in New Berlin, Wisconsin and the expansion of the company’s North American robotics headquarters and manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It has also led to the creation of 450 new, highly skilled jobs in manufacturing, innovation and distribution operations to support the clean energy transition.
In Portland this weekend, the level playing field promises no-holds-barred efforts from teams eager to carry a strong position into the final European races. Pascal Wehrlein of the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E team, who delivered dominating wins early in the season, leads the points standings by virtue of his Round 10 win in Jakarta, while Jake Dennis, of Porsche-powered Avalanche Andretti, is a point back. Looming close behind is Nick Cassidy of Envision Racing.
The intense scramble for every finishing position continues with the concluding double header races in Rome on July 15-16, and London on July 29-30, where the titles for teams and the drivers will be decided.