Nissan Is The Latest Big Name To Join Formula E

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2017 has been a big year for Formula E, the all-electric racing series. Prominent motor manufacturers have been flocking to join the series in the past few months, with Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche all announcing their participation in next season. Not content with stopping at that list, it has just been revealed that Nissan is going to be joining the fray in 2018.

Nissan will be the first Japanese automotive brand to take part in Formula E, showing the growing global appeal of the series and mirroring the expansion of the electric vehicle market in general. Formula E offers a great opportunity for motor companies to advertise their all-electric credentials, something that is mooted as being important to the likes of Audi given the recent diesel scandal that has hit the company in recent times.

The first Japanese manufacturer in the series

As well as offering positive PR opportunities, Formula E also yields the perfect testing ground for the development of electric drivetrain technology. Daniele Schillaci, executive vice president of global marketing and sales, zero-emission vehicles and battery business, and chairman of Nissan’s management committee for Japan, Asia and Oceania, sees Formula E as a natural fit. “Nissan’s DNA is rich in innovation in electric mobility, not to mention a long history of success in motorsports. It makes sense that we bring these two core elements together by competing in Formula E.”

Founder and CEO of Formula E, Alejandro Agag, is ebullient about the news. In a statement he enthused that “to have a name like Nissan coming on board is a momentous day for the series. Not only is it great to welcome a new manufacturer to the Formula E family — it’s great to see our first Japanese manufacturer entering the frame, showing truly how global the electric revolution is. Japan is a country at the forefront of new technologies, with one of the biggest followings of Formula E. The shift toward sustainable mobility is in motion, and it’s unstoppable.”

If 2017 is anything to go by, it does seem that the pendulum is swinging further and further in the direction of electric racing and electric vehicles. It’s going to be hard for Formula E to top the news they’ve made this year. Season four kicks off on December 2 in Hong Kong. The roster for the season is full, so Nissan will be taking part from season five onward.


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