London - Formula E, the world's first electric motor racing series, is hoping to attract three or four manufacturers next year with the ultimate aim of becoming a fully-fledged world championship.
The inaugural season, which began in Beijing this month, is a one-make format but Formula E chief executive Alejandro Agag said on Tuesday the regulations allow competition between manufacturers after that.
“I would hope that we have three or four different makers of motors and batteries in the championship for year two,” the Spaniard told the official website (www.fiaformulae.com)
The batteries for the series, which groups 10 teams of two drivers each competing in 10 city centre races around the world, are currently provided by a company owned by the Williams Formula One team.
McLaren supply the electric powertrain and electronics while the car itself is built by Spark Racing Technology and overseen by Renault.
Agag said that under the rules of the governing International Automobile Federation (FIA), four manufacturers are needed before a series can become a full world championship.
“We hope to attract manufacturers, meet the conditions and hopefully the FIA will grant us world championship status,” he said.
Reuters