Fortescue Zero to supply Formula E Pit Boost chargers

Fortescue Zero has been announced as the official pitboost provider for the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

The announcement comes after the successful roll-out of the technology – whereby a 10 percent top up of usable energy is added via a 600kW fast charge in a 30-second pit stop – at the Jeddah E-Prix last month. The portable booster has been designed to deliver two battery boosts per race, and uses onboard energy storage so isn’t constrained by local energy grid connection like the standard chargers supplied by ABB.

“The successful development and integration of Fortescue Zero’s Pit Boost technology has not only been a positive gamer-changer for the racing our fans can expect, but is one of the biggest new features introduced into world-motorsport in recent memory,” said Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds. “Not only is it bringing huge new excitement to our race tracks, but allows the series and commercial partners to pioneer cutting edge technology that is directly relevant to road-going EV users.

“This new technology will have enormous real-world benefits and tangibly contributes to our overarching mission of accelerating the development and uptake of EVs around the world.”

The boosters are complimented by Fortescue Zero’s battery intelligence software, Elysia, which optimizes speed while also battery life.

While different to road car charging applications that are currently available, the technology has already found its way into real world applications, like with Fortescue Zero’s 6MW solution that it has developed for heavy mining equipment.

“Fortescue Zero pushes the limits of what batteries, their infrastructure and intelligence systems can do in a safe, tested and innovative way,” said Fortescue Zero CEO Ellie Coates. “The ultra-fast boost technology used in the Pit Boost, not only takes motorsports to a new level, it also has a flow on effect to real-world practicalities too, including in Heavy Industry and on-road electric vehicle applications.”

After Jeddah, Pit Boost will also feature in one race at the remaining double-header weekends in Monaco, Tokyo, Shanghai, Berlin and London.