Formula E is considering keeping their two-year powertrain cycle after the COVID-19 pandemic is over as a way of ensuring that costs are kept under control in the series.
The electric series announced the two-year cycle two weeks ago as a way to ensure that the manufacturers in the series maintain healthy budgets to go racing once the pandemic is over.
But Formula E CEO Jamie Reigle admitted that they are still in discussion about the series long-term initiatives with all the teams and manufacturers and that the two-year cycle brought in to help the teams during COVID-19 could continue into the future.
“We are extending the use of the powertrain over the next two years, using this as a cost-saving measure and pushing back the Gen 2 EVO car and frankly, we are in discussions with all the teams and manufacturers about our long term initiatives to ensure that Formula E remains competitive.
“There are two overarching objectives one is to ensure that the business model is sustainable for independent teams and that means reducing the costs as much as possible and for the manufacturers that it is a mix of compelling development tool and a compelling marketing platform, but obviously car manufacturers are looking to save costs where they can. So we can’t ignore that, and we can look to find ways that we can achieve that.
“At this moment everything is on the table, whether we revert to one, we stick with the two-year cycle or even go to a three-year cycle for the powertrain are options that are on the table, but there is no decision about it yet,” said Reigle.
The effects of COVID-19 will have an impact on Formula E and their philosophy of going racing. How they continue to increase the production of electric vehicles whilst continuing with a two-year cycle may be the first step in going in a new direction that was never previously considered.