Introduction
Formula E racing is more than sport—it’s a high-pressure test lab for cutting-edge battery, powertrain, and regen technology. Lucid Motors (and its precursor, Atieva) has leveraged this racing arena—not for prestige only, but to drive real engineering leaps that trickle into its road cars. Yet many EV makers claim battery expertise; few have Lucid’s combination of motorsport cred + road performance.
The Problem
EV battery systems face trade-offs: weight vs power vs thermal stability vs longevity vs charging speed. Companies that don’t push technical limits risk falling behind as consumer expectations rise. Racing series like Formula E force consistent exposure to extremes (fast discharge/regen, rapid temp swings, safety demands), making them perfect environments to stress-test technologies. Lucid’s involvement in Formula E positions it uniquely: it can test in harsh conditions, iterate quickly, then bring what works to production.
Who is this for?
This article is for EV engineers, mobility investors, EV startup founders, and transport/automotive strategists who want to understand not just what Lucid builds, but why its racing pedigree matters for battery and powertrain technology—and what lessons scaling EVs can pull from motorsports.
Insights & Analysis
- Lucid (formerly known in parts as Atieva) supplied the spec battery pack for Formula E Seasons 5 & 6 (2018-2022).
- The pack had to satisfy rigorous requirements: weight limits, safety, high discharge & regen rates, durability over multiple race events.
- More recently, Lucid designed the front drive unit for Gen3 Formula E cars, used for regen (regenerative braking), rather than propulsion, which demands high power density, compact packaging, cooling, and reliability.
- In its road vehicles, Lucid uses ultra-high voltage architectures (>900 V), fast charge capabilities (400 kW or more), modular battery packs, and advanced battery management systems—in many cases technologies matured or influenced via motorsport testing.
The Framework: What Lucid Did & What Others Can Learn
Step 1: Motorsport Spec Development
Build battery packs that meet racing demands (high discharge, regen, thermal extremes). Use lightweight structures, aggressive cooling, high safety margins. Lucid’s Atieva designed spec battery pack for Formula E with trapezium shape for aero/fit & bespoke BMS.
Step 2: Validation Under Stress
Racing provides myriad stress tests: frequent cycles, aggressive regen, rapid thermal shifts. Lucid used this for both cell selection and pack validation. Weak points in cooling, thermal runaway, or structural integrity become visible fast.
Step 3: Road Car Integration
Take what survives racing: high power density, compact drive units, high voltage systems, efficient regen, robust BMS. Lucid’s road vehicles (Lucid Air, Gravity) reflect racing-learned tech: e.g., modular battery packs, fast charging, high usable energy, strong regen.
Step 4: Continuous Feedback & Incremental Improvement
Even after launching a product, data from both racing and customer use help refine cooling systems, software calibration, battery aging behaviour. Lucid’s over tens of millions of test miles contributes to this.
Case Study
Atieva / Lucid & Formula E Seasons 5-6 (2018-2022): Lucid supplied the spec battery pack for these seasons. The engineering team designed the shape, packaging, cooling, and BMS to meet the full race distance requirement (where earlier packs couldn’t go full distance) while minimizing weight and maximizing safety.
Gen3 Front Drive Regeneration Unit: Lucid’s drive unit (motor + inverter etc.) used for front axle regen in Gen3 Formula E. It weighs only ~32 kg, produces high regen power, and uses tech shared with road car units.
Practical Takeaways
- Use motorsports partnerships (or racing demands) not just for branding, but for pushing engineering thresholds: weight optimization, cooling, BMS reliability under harsh regimes.
- Integrate high voltage architecture (>800-900 V) early: this reduces current for a given power, which means lower I2R losses, thinner cables, lighter components, faster charging.
- Develop modular battery packs so that innovations in cell chemistry, cooling, or shape can propagate more easily.
- Lean on rigorous testing under extreme conditions — regen, cycle life, temperature swings — before scaling to production.
- Use drive units (motors + inverters) developed for racing regen as a source of ideas for road car regen efficiency & compactness.
Conclusion
At Kelstron, we help mobility companies think like Lucid: using racing and high-stress testbeds not as side projects, but as central R&D drivers. If your EV startup is wondering how to bridge the gap from prototype to road reliability (while pushing battery performance), we can help you map that path.