Le Mans Electric

An all-electric Le Mans prototype racing car that aims to be the fastest electric-powered racecar to lap a circuit has been revealed at the Autosport International racecar show.

The Lola-Drayson B12/69EV is a prototype that has been created by Drayson Racing Technologies and Lola Group to showcase how an all-electric racer could look.

It is a timely launch: next year, Formula 1 organising body the FIA will launch a new racecar series dedicated to electric racing cars. The Formula E series will showcase a broad range of EV technologies – and the Lola-Drayson is being tipped to play a leading role in the new championship.

It means the 850hp electric racer could actually enter competitive circuit racing in little more than a year’s time.

The project has been led by former Minister of Science and Innovation Lord Drayson. Himself a former Le Mans racer, he said that electric racing “represents a considerable new business opportunity for motorsport.

“Electric-powered racing is really taking off with the launch of the new FIA Formula E world championship for electric racing cars planned for 2013 and we are thrilled to be at the forefront of the push for innovation at such an exciting time for the sport and industry.”

The Lola-Drayson B12/69EV is currently based on Lola’s LMP1 racecar. The final racecar will not necessarily look like this prototype, thanks to the open book rule framework that gives designers more flexibility than in other racecar series.

The prototype does, however, showcase the technology that the racecar will boast, which includes composite battery power, moveable aerodynamics and electric regenerative damping. It also boasts inductive charging – this recharges the racecar’s batteries simply by driving over a plate in the ground, without wires.

Lord Drayson said the inductive charging was ‘static’ at the moment, but that he could see a time where ‘dynamic’ charging was developed, charging the racers as they drove around the circuit.

Features such as this led Mercedes AMG F1, Audi and Porsche motorsport bosses to describe the Lola-Drayson as “revolutionary” following the reveal at the Autosport Show.

UK Trade & Investment CEO Nick Baird said the car was good news for UK PLC too. “Low carbon racing is a new, important and exciting development in the motorsport sector and I am thrilled that the UK is a leading global player.

“The global market for low carbon goods and services, of all types, is already worth around £3 trillion and is expected to exceed £4.5 trillion by 2015.

“With their history of innovation British motorsport companies are well placed to benefit from these opportunities.”