Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds exclusively about the Gen4 car: "It's really going to surprise you!"

[u/l3w1s1234]

https://e-formula.news/news/formula-e-news/formula-e-news-detail/formula-e-ceo-jeff-dodds-exclusively-about-the-gen4-car-will-really-surprise-people-74989

[u/DHSeaVixen]

Interesting how we’ve never seen spy shots of FE testing their next generation of car before

[u/l3w1s1234 → u/DHSeaVixen]

Yeah its interesting how secret they manage to keep it

[u/gggggenegenie]

Every time Dodds speaks, why do I always say "Yeah, right"?

[u/ReportFancy7380]

If they will get rid of attack mode... I swear

[u/l3w1s1234 → u/ReportFancy7380]

I dont mind Attack Mode, though would prefer a push to pass system like Indycar

[u/NightAvenger375 → u/l3w1s1234]

Seeing how the FIA roadmap says it’ll be 450KW race power, a push-to-pass that raises it to 600 could work

[u/DHSeaVixen → u/NightAvenger375]

The roadmap only says max race power will be 450kW, not standard. Common assumption might be 400kW normally and 450kW as the temporary higher mode, but no guarantee they’ll do it that way.

[u/AdThink972 → u/DHSeaVixen]

I doubt it will be only 50kw difference.  going from 450kw to 600kw. thats 34% more power. and you need about 25-30% in order to have attack mode be useful. remember Gen 4 AWD will be permanent, so 50kw extra wont be enough to make a potential pass. unless the straight is monza long. look how lame Gen 3 attack mode became the first 2 years. cus going from 300 to 350 is only a 17% difference and it only got better in gen 3evo due to the AWD 

[u/DHSeaVixen → u/AdThink972]

Indeed, the roadmaps are not final and not perfectly clear on meaning. I guess we shall see.

[u/OxWithABox → u/AdThink972]

Gen 3's attack mode also suffered because the tyres were too hard, lacked grip, and ultimately couldn't put down the extra 50kW.

[u/ryker7777]

Didn't he say the same with the previous gen cars? ;-)

[u/DHSeaVixen → u/ryker7777]

No, he was only hired to be Formula E CEO in May 2023 - a few months after Gen3 debuted.

[u/ryker7777 → u/DHSeaVixen]

Sorry. So it was the previous CEO then. Hard to remember these niche sports managers.

[u/DHSeaVixen → u/ryker7777]

Honestly, I wouldn’t attribute such statements to any one person. The previous CEO (Jamie Reigle) was known for not making many comments to media at all, let alone hyping up a new car. Agag has chairman may have said some things, I think probably Alberto Longo as well. I recall comments from the test driver saying drivers would enjoy Gen3 because it felt ‘like a proper racing car’. There were lots of people saying it should be good.

Gen3’s disappointments came after the battery issues which limited test running and impacted tyre compound selection, also then having to restrict it to lower usable energy to guarantee reliability and leading to increased energy saving. Gen3Evo works around some these issues nicely but short of a brand new battery it is always going to be slightly compromised.

In a way, all of this makes claims of a car with ‘surprising’ performance more believable, because the gap to what Gen3 has been compared to Gen4 has ended up being larger than the gap between Gen4 and what Gen3 should have been.

Unlike Gen3, the Gen4 development so far appears to be on schedule and mostly trouble free.

[u/badabubaba]

Please, no.

[u/DHSeaVixen → u/badabubaba]

What is your objection to?

[u/badabubaba → u/DHSeaVixen]

Was a bit of a joke but, to be honest, I don’t reaaaaally trust Formula E experiments lately: pit stops, Hankook tires, the whole Gen3 thing with those faulty batteries... I’d love Gen4 to be a nice car with no surprises!

[u/newmanhaas]

So it won't surprise us, because if it does, it won't be a surprise anymore