Nissan is currently the only Japanese manufacturer involved in Formula E. Today, it announced its commitment to fielding a team until 2026.
The electric single-seat series attracted the participation of many manufacturers thanks to its (perceived) relevance to EVs and its relatively low cost. But with high-profile exits announced by BMW and Audi late last year, the sport got a bit of a fright.
Nissan’s commitment, though, will keep them in competition with a number of high-profile automakers. It will also keep the automaker racing well into the life of the third-generation cars. Set to debut for the 2022-2023 season, the Gen3 cars will be faster, lighter, and will charge quickly enough for pitstops to make sense.
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“Nissan’s vision for cars goes far beyond simply modes of transport,” said Ashwani Gupta, Nissan’s chief operating officer. “Formula E helps us bring excitement, energy, and the environment to the forefront as we deliver this vision of the future to an ever-growing, new, young and diverse audience.”
The Nissan e.dams team has been involved in Formula E since the very beginning, though it was originally called Renault e.dams. The team won the inaugural manufacturer’s championship and eventually rebranded as Nissan when the second-generation cars were introduced in 2018.
“Nissan’s commitment to the Gen3 era of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship shows the strength of the all-electric racing series and its pursuit of success in the next phase,” said Olivier and Gregory Driot, team principals, in a joint statement. “The new Gen3 cars will be faster and more powerful, and this constant evolution of racing performance that we continue to see in Formula E is great for the fans and the sport.”
After two races this season, Nissan is in 8th place in the Formula E championship, leading Porsche by three points. Jaguar tops the series, four points ahead of Mercedes.
