Porsche Announces Timeline for Formula E Program

The team behind Porsche’s LMP program will spend most of 2018 developing the car for Formula E’s fifth season.

byCaleb Jacobs|
Porsche Announces Timeline for Formula E Program
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Porsche let out shattering news earlier in 2017 by announcing its exit from the World Endurance Championship's LMP1 category. Instead of sticking with high-dollar prototype action, the Stuttgart automaker has decided to reinvest its time and money into the all-electric Formula E series. Since the move was made public in July, Porsche has kept relatively quiet on its plans for Formula E, but as it was recently revealed, a timeline is in place for the start of its full-fledged FE program. 

The German marquereleased its plans to reallocate the successful LMP team's efforts in 2018. During the next calendar year, the crew will work on the development of an all-new Formula E racer ahead of a tentatively scheduled 2019 testing program. This will entail a healthy heap of research as regulations will be changed for the series' fifth season.

FE cars are expected to not only have a drastically different design from the current configuration, but also a longer lasting, more powerful battery pack. This will promote innovation and require teams to develop a single car to use during the race rather than two for each driver. Series officials claim it to be a "clear testament of the advancement in battery technology."

Once Porsche has completed and finalized its car for Formula E, it will have to compete against some familiar German rivals. Mercedes announced a similar tactic of ditching a well-established league, DTM in this case, in favor of the electric series. BMW and Audi already have a strong presence in FE, the latter having won the overall championship in 2017.

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