Antonio Felix da Costa is an extremely fast worker.
But youll never see these wheels spinning away because theyre permanently parked.
A stationary cockpit encased by screens, the rig replicates driving da Costas Porsche race car.
That provides crucial testing for the real thing.
Thats how close we believe that simulator is to the real car.
Its one of many technologies transforming Formula E the electric cousin of the petrol-powered Formula 1.
AtTNW Conferenceon June 14, da Costa will share the secrets of the sports digital transformation.
Ahead of the talk, he gave us a glimpse into the progress.
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But when that car door closed, another one opened.
Formula E was about to launch the first-ever sport with a net-zero certification.
And one of the teams wanted to make da Costa their star driver.
The rise of Formula E
Back then, the cars were dubious attractions.
Two of them were needed to complete a single race.
They also offered just a fraction of the power provided in Formula 1.
I thought I was going to be racing with 1,000 horsepower, da Costa recollects.
Despite the teething problems, da Costa recognised the potential.
I need to keep thinking about the cars brain.
Da Costa rolled the dice and was soon cashing in.
The 32-year-old went on to win a world championship in 2020 and drive in every season of the sport.
Thats given him unique experiences with thetechtransforming EVs.
In a period of slowing development in Formula 1, the progress of electric racing has only accelerated.
The constant search for extra speed often leads tosoftware.
With potential gains at every turn, the team welcomes experimentation.
When new ideas emerge, theyre quickly tested in the simulator.
Even the crazier ideas can end up in the racecar the day after, da Costa says.
One big chance to speed up comes from slowing down.
On each track, the software can define each corner individually and coordinate the front and rear brakes accordingly.
But none of the options are in stone.
From Formula E to the road
Formula E isnt only about winning races.
Car makers also use the tracks to develop tech for the roads.
French marque DS Automobiles compared the sport to an open-air laboratory.
This unique testbed has also attracted the likes of BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, and Nissan.
Brands from all four corners of the world have been racing Formula E, da Costa says.
And when you compete, youre forced to evolve at a much steeper learning curve.
Those evolutions frequently emerge in commercial EVs.
Nissan, meanwhile, used on-track analysis to triple the battery capacity of the all-electric Leaf.
Its the most efficient car in the world.
The latest Formula E cars promise new levels of efficiency.
Over 40% of the energy they use during a race comes from regenerative braking.
So every time we brake were putting energy back into the car, says da Costa.
Its also the fastest Formula E car yet, with the most sustainable batteries.
All these upgrades could filter through to consumer EVs.
Accelerating the electric transition
On the track, EVs are delivering real excitement.
Still, they cant catch Formula 1 cars for speed.
But theyre miles ahead by one measure.
Our race car is the most efficient car in the world, da Costa says.
He adds that his passion for Formula 1 remains undimmed, but hes optimistic about the electric momentum.
I believe someone born today will never know what a petrol engine is like to drive, he says.
So this transition will happen in a very natural way.
One of the themes of this years TNW Conference is Sustainable Futures.
Story byThomas Macaulay
Thomas is the managing editor of TNW.
He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers.
Away from work, he e(show all)Thomas is the managing editor of TNW.
He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers.
Away from work, he enjoys playing chess (badly) and the guitar (even worse).
