After a long development period, the fast-charging pit stop will make its Formula E debut at the Jeddah E-Prix
After more than two years in development, the Pit Boost concept will make its Formula E debut at the Jeddah E-Prix. The FIA and series organizers have officially confirmed that the new fast-charging technology will be used for the first time at the event in Saudi Arabia on February 14-15.
The Pit Boost system allows Gen3 E-cars to recharge their battery by 10 percent via a plug-in loader with a charging capacity of 600 kW. The charging process takes about 30 seconds. Each driver must make a mandatory pit stop during the race to recharge.
The teams will receive the exact details, such as the time slot for the pit stop, 21 days before the race. The system will initially be tested in the 2024/25 season at the double-header races in Jeddah, Monaco, Tokyo, Shanghai, Berlin and London.
Initially used in one race of each double-header
According to Alberto Longo, co-founder of Formula E, the pit boost will initially only be used at double-header events to demonstrate the strategic differences between the two race days.
“We wanted to introduce this new system at races where you see a completely different dynamic within 24 hours. If it works, we will probably expand it to more races next season. But that’s not yet confirmed,” he says.
Originally, the pit boost was supposed to come to Formula E as early as 2022 with the introduction of the Gen3 cars. However, technical problems with fast charging initially prevented this. Last November, the system was tested in a pre-season test race in Jarama. The data collected and the analysis finally convinced the FIA and the Formula E organizations of the system’s reliability and safety.
Back-up solutions in case of technical problems
Pablo Martino, FIA manager for Formula E, explained that back-up systems are available in case of technical problems: “Each team will receive a back-up booster and an additional two boosters will be available in the pit lane. This ensures that all teams can take part in the race even if they experience technical problems.”
An important rule change is that the Pit Boost now works independently of the Attack Mode. Previously, it was planned that a driver had to complete the Pit Boost before they could activate the Attack Mode. This link has been removed to increase the flexibility of the strategies.
