Development of the Formula E Gen4 battery continues to progress: "Everything is going as we imagined"

With the introduction of the Gen4 cars at the end of 2026, several new suppliers will also appear in Formula E at the same time. Among other things, Bridgestone will then provide the tyres for the electric series instead of Hankook. There will be another change to the batteries: Podium Advanced Technologies will replace Fortescue Zero (formerly Williams Advanced Engineering/WAE). Development of the new battery pack is already in full swing.

After just two races of the Formula E Gen3 Evo cars, it is already clear that the updated version of the cars launched in 2022 has taken a significant step forward in terms of performance. With the start of the Gen4 era, the racing series is expected to become even faster: With up to 600 kW of power, Formula E will then enter performance ranges that have so far only been reserved for Formula 1 and the IndyCar Series in formula racing. Not only the manufacturers' powertrain components, but also the batteries will therefore have to be completely redeveloped in order to meet the performance requirements of the Gen4 cars.

Podium Advanced Technologies has several years of experience in electric and electrified motorsport: in addition to Moto E, where Podium provides the standardised battery, the company, which was founded in 2011, was also involved in the development of the hybrid system for the now discontinued Glickenhaus hypercar and the Glickenhaus projects at the Nürburgring 24-hour race. Nevertheless, many were surprised by the FIA's decision to award the contract for the Gen4 batteries to Podium.

"The tender was a very close competition with many competitors who wanted to win," says Luca Ciancetti, co-founder and head of Road Car and Motorsport division at Podium Advanced Technologies, to Motorsport.com. "The great thing about motorsport is that it is democratic. This democratic nature is one of the best features of the competition, allowing less established companies to get involved in projects of this scale. If you work well and efficiently, you get a chance."

Battery should "by no means be the subject of discussion"

The FIA's announcement that Podium Advanced Technologies would be given this opportunity was more than a year ago. The development of the batteries is already well advanced. However, the company is keen to avoid being too much at the centre of attention itself: The current battery manufacturer had not managed to do this, as there were repeated problems during the manufacturers' first Gen3 test drives. Even a battery caught fire in the pit lane during the pre-season tests in Valencia in 2023.

"The technical challenge is certainly important," Ciancetti continues. "But the real issue of a project like this is not so much in the details of the various technical intricacies. There is no area where you can take major risks. The crucial thing is to deliver a solid product that is in no way the subject of discussions in the championship. It's our job as a supplier of such an important part of the car to provide the teams with a high-performance product that is reliable and functional. That's the real issue with a supply like this."

"Compromise is definitely not easy"

However, the technical challenge cannot be underestimated due to the parameters set by the FIA, explains Ciancetti. "If you didn't have very strict targets in terms of weight and specific power, you could develop a simpler product. Here, on the other hand, the challenge is twofold, because you have to develop something that is very reliable for the teams and at the same time has state-of-the-art performance characteristics. This compromise is definitely not easy."

But the time component also plays an important role. After all, the first tests with a Gen4 prototype are to be carried out in the first half of 2025. Manufacturers will then have to order the batteries for their racing cars at the beginning of June, while the batteries for the test cars had to be ordered last year.

Ciancetti believes his team is well on schedule so far. "As far as the development status to date is concerned, we are in line with what was agreed and what we should achieve. Everything is going as we imagined and agreed with the FIA, which has a very high level of expertise and knowledge in this area, so we also have a structured and supportive interlocutor", he describes and emphasises the role of the FIA once again.

"Of course it is a major technical challenge. But it is also an area in which development is fortunately progressing very quickly, which is linked to the chemical processes available. Today, for example, we are working with cells that did not even exist a few years ago", he continues.

He sees motorsport as a test laboratory for innovations that will quickly find their way onto the road. "In a technology sector that is advancing as fast as battery technology, where new technologies are constantly becoming available and new ideas for control systems and algorithms are being developed, the ability to test them immediately in motorsport and then transfer them to road cars is very important today."