Cameron Newland
Well-Known Member
Formula E, the FIA's all-electric racing series (these are open-wheel racecars, not electric bikes, unfortunately!) is putting on its second E-Prix in the United States in Long Beach this weekend. I'm going to go and I may very well bring my e-bike.
The event officially runs from 7am to 5pm, with the main race taking place from 4 to 5pm and with various qualifying and practice-lapping rounds happening from 8:15am to 1pm.
One of the most exciting things at the race that many traditional media outlets are ignoring is the Formula 24/Formula-E School race, which is a race grid composed of lightweight 24V electric race cars powered by a pair of 12V car batteries, and that use 20-inch bicycle wheels/tires mounted to a steel chassis. These Formula 24 cars reach speeds in excess of 40mph due to their excellent aerodynamics, and they are all assembled by teams of youngsters (11-16 years old, I believe) who start with a standard kit and are then allowed to make certain improvements to the aerodynamics and battery management systems so as to notch faster lap times or make less pit stops. The technology in these Formula 24 cars is very similar to many electric bikes, and even though the Formula 24 racers don't reach high speeds like the Formula E drivers do, the Formula 24 races are apparently quite fun to watch, as the race leader changes often due to the advantages provided by drafting behind other cars (i.e. the car that is leading the race might always find itself at a disadvantage because it has no cars in front of it to draft behind, and this lends itself to a competitive race).
Would anyone like to meet up at the Long Beach E-Prix around 2pm to watch the Formula 24 race, and then perhaps take a tour of pit lane from 3 to 3:30pm? Pit lane is supposedly open to the public for that short window. Feel free to reply here and perhaps we can put a group of e-bikers together.
More information can be found here:
http://www.fiaformulae.com
The event officially runs from 7am to 5pm, with the main race taking place from 4 to 5pm and with various qualifying and practice-lapping rounds happening from 8:15am to 1pm.
One of the most exciting things at the race that many traditional media outlets are ignoring is the Formula 24/Formula-E School race, which is a race grid composed of lightweight 24V electric race cars powered by a pair of 12V car batteries, and that use 20-inch bicycle wheels/tires mounted to a steel chassis. These Formula 24 cars reach speeds in excess of 40mph due to their excellent aerodynamics, and they are all assembled by teams of youngsters (11-16 years old, I believe) who start with a standard kit and are then allowed to make certain improvements to the aerodynamics and battery management systems so as to notch faster lap times or make less pit stops. The technology in these Formula 24 cars is very similar to many electric bikes, and even though the Formula 24 racers don't reach high speeds like the Formula E drivers do, the Formula 24 races are apparently quite fun to watch, as the race leader changes often due to the advantages provided by drafting behind other cars (i.e. the car that is leading the race might always find itself at a disadvantage because it has no cars in front of it to draft behind, and this lends itself to a competitive race).
Would anyone like to meet up at the Long Beach E-Prix around 2pm to watch the Formula 24 race, and then perhaps take a tour of pit lane from 3 to 3:30pm? Pit lane is supposedly open to the public for that short window. Feel free to reply here and perhaps we can put a group of e-bikers together.
More information can be found here:
http://www.fiaformulae.com
