Phil Charles expects a big performance boost with the Gen4 cars in Formula E: "These are big steps"

The FIA published the technical regulations for the Gen4 era of Formula E shortly before the Jakarta E-Prix. In addition to significantly more power, more recuperation, higher downforce and more technical freedom for the manufacturers, the cars will also be significantly heavier. For Phil Charles, Deputy Team Principal of DS Penske, this is a compromise that often has to be made in motorsport. Nevertheless, he is certain that performance will improve significantly with the new cars.

Many of the changes that will be made with the introduction of the fourth generation of Formula E vehicles are designed to significantly reduce the lap times of the cars. The ambitious goal of the rule makers: Formula E should perform at Formula 2 level at the Circuit de Monaco. Alex Dunne set the fastest time in qualifying this year with a lap time of 1:21.142 minutes, just over five seconds faster than the Formula E cars a few weeks earlier at the same venue. The highest FIA junior category in formula racing is powered by 456 kW (620 hp) turbo engines and the cars weigh 795 kg.

In contrast, the power output of the Gen4 cars in Formula E is said to be 600 kW, but the electric cars are 217 kg (more than 25 per cent) heavier, weighing 1,012 kg. Certainly a disadvantage, but one that the cars will compensate for thanks to their higher performance, the new Bridgestone tyres and the higher downforce, Phil Charles is certain.

Phil Charles: "You have to put in the overall package"

"Well, the question is, is it a good thing? I think you have to put in the overall package," says Phil Charles in an interview with e-Formula.news. "So we've got a much faster car with downforce and more grip. And there's always a compromise. You can't necessarily have a bigger performance range or energy usage window unless you trade off against something."

"I think the real question is: will the car going to be more performant? Yes, without a doubt," he affirms. "It's a much faster car, much more grip, much more downforce. So, I think that's the answer."

"To answer the question about weight: What we've got as a package you have to assess and we've go a big step. The car is bigger, it's wider as well, but again it comes as part of that package. If you want more downforce, you need more wing area. If you want more grip, you can so something with the tyres and the compound. Sometimes you have to make some compromises around the packaging. So you have to assess the whole thing."

Gen4 car "is a good technical challenge"

"There's lots of challenges," he continues. "You have a big chunk of power now, 600 kW and four-wheel drive for all the time. Tyres - big step of performance, and then the downforce level. So if you just take those big main parameters, these are big steps."

"This is going to be a fast car with much much changed way to drive the car, our strategy, our energy management, our control systems. All of those things will have to weld around those changes. So they are big changes, they're not small. They really pushing the performance of the car in a big way."

"So we as an engineering group, we have to really think and relearn and understand what those new parameters bring give you. So, it's interesting and very good. I think it's a really exciting package that we've got coming, so I'm looking forward to it. It's a good technical challenge."