Nissan is the one mass-market OEM in System E. It’s additionally the one Japanese automaker within the sequence, and is dedicated to it by means of 2030.
It’s a part of the corporate’s Ambition 2030. Nissan says its “mission is to attain carbon neutrality and zero-emission automobiles by 2050, and to make electrical automobiles accessible to everybody, all over the place.” Particularly, “by fiscal yr 2030 aiming for an electrification mixture of 55% globally.”
There actually isn’t one other massive mainstream market auto producer that has so intently aligned its motorsports program with its strategic imaginative and prescient.
Nissan’s Historical past in System E
In 2018, Nissan entered System E as a partnership with a longtime staff. In 2022, it then purchased that staff and has operated as a factory-backed program ever since. With the staff buy, Nissan has dedicated to the race sequence by means of 2030 as a part of its Ambition 2030 program.
Nissan has frequently moved up the grid in System E because the seasons go. As a producer, Nissan was seventh in 2023 and simply completed third in 2024. Nissan NISMO System E Staff Principal Tommaso Volpe instructed me that the aim is to battle for the general championship in 2025.
As a producer, Nissan has developed its personal drivetrain system. This consists of an inverter, motor, trans, regen system, and software program. That is the second yr utilizing the identical {hardware} system (mandated by the System E guidelines), however the staff has seen large beneficial properties from its software program improvement.
This method is used not solely within the Nissan NISMO System E staff but in addition within the NEOM McLaren System E staff. This permits for knowledge assortment from 4 vehicles on the grid, two per staff, one thing that’s widespread throughout System E.
Causes Nissan Is in System E
I sat down with Nissan NISMO System E Staff Principal Tommaso Volpe on the 2024 U.S. race in Portland, Ore. He defined to me that Nissan is in System E for 3 very particular causes:
- To turn out to be specialists in electrification
- To point out that electrical automobiles are thrilling
- Data switch for future street vehicles, to make them each thrilling and environment friendly
The primary two factors are straightforward to know and see with Nissan’s involvement on this race sequence. The third is more durable to see, at the very least for now.
System E Tech in Your Nissan
Within the early days of Nissan’s involvement in System E, a full 7 years in the past, there was a number of data switch to the race program from its expertise in electrified street vehicles. Volpe defined that road-to-track was the way it began, and only in the near past, we’re beginning to see track-to-road data switch.
However, no switch of {hardware} from Nissan’s System E race program has but made it to a manufacturing street automotive. Whereas Volpe is aware of this can seemingly change within the subsequent few years, for now it’s simply software program that has made it from racecar to street automotive. This isn’t all that shocking, as new manufacturing automotive improvement cycles take a few years, whereas software program may be up to date repeatedly with over-the-air updates on most trendy vehicles.
Fascinating Info About System E
Whereas I had a good time at System E’s solely U.S. cease in 2024 in Portland, Ore., I additionally realized a bunch of attention-grabbing tidbits concerning the race sequence. There’s a lot occurring on this electrified racing, and it’s important to dive fairly deep to actually get your head wrapped round a lot of it.
Listed below are among the enjoyable information that I found:
- A rear 350 kW motor can ship as much as 470 horsepower to the rear wheels.
- A entrance 250 kW motor is only for regen (doesn’t drive the automobile).
- In 2025 AWD will probably be used, however solely at sure occasions.
- 2024 System E race vehicles have a 41 kWh battery. Compared, the Nissan Ariya has both a 67 kwH or an 87 kWh battery.
- 2024 System E vehicles begin every race with solely about 60% of the facility wanted to finish a race, and don’t pit. The opposite 40% of vitality wanted to succeed in the end line is created by means of the regen system.
- In assault mode, 2024 System E vehicles can attain 60 mph from a standstill in simply 1.6 seconds.
- 2024 System E vehicles weigh simply 840 kg (1,852 kilos).
- There is just one spec tire utilized in System E, by Hankook. The tire is utilized in all circumstances, together with rain.
- Every automotive can solely use two units of tires on a single race weekend. Three units are allowed for double-header weekends.
- No tire heaters are utilized in System E.
- System E vehicles haven’t any traction management.
(An enormous due to Nissan for internet hosting me at this yr’s U.S. E-Prix. I very a lot sit up for following alongside as System E develops, and we begin to see electrical racing tech make its manner into electrified street vehicles.)
