Bosch will develop an electronic vehicle management system tailored to the unique requirements of Formula E for use in DRAGON / PENSKE AUTOSPORT's 2021 challenger. The German company's MS 50.4P vehicle control unit (VCU) will control the PENSKE EV-5's motor and energy management systems, along with brake energy recovery systems and its in-cockpit driver display.
“This collaboration with DRAGON enhances our successful involvement as a series sponsor of Formula E," says Dr. Markus Heyn, member of the board of management at Robert Bosch GmbH. "With this partnership, Bosch underscores its claim as a leading supplier of powertrain management solutions, both in electromobility for production vehicles and in electrified motorsports."
The innovative system will make its race debut in spring 2021, and plans are afoot at Bosch to develop an entire electric powertrain for the Gen3 era of Formula E.
Jay Penske, Owner and Team Principal of DRAGON / PENSKE AUTOSPORT added: “We are very excited to embark on this journey with Bosch in Formula E. We are grateful for the support of Bosch Engineering and the entire Bosch Global board.
"Through our work together, we will provide Bosch with a platform to both showcase its capabilities as it develops Formula E specific technologies, while also using the team’s story-telling abilities to illustrate the role Bosch is playing as a leader in the electrification of the mobility industry.
"This long-term technical partnership marks a significant turning point for the team, and I look forward to seeing the fruits of our alliance on track this Season when we introduce our new PENSKE AUTOSPORT package later this year.”
The brain of DRAGON's Gen2 challenger
Bosch's central VCU represents the brain of the PENSKE EV-5. A bespoke vehicle wiring harness provides optimum integration whilst data loggers improve the team’s research and testing capabilities. Bosch then uses its RaceConnect LTE cloud solution to transfer telemetry from the car for analysis, enabling engineers to get the maximum out of the powertrain, brakes and tyres; quickly and efficiently.
“When optimising the control software, we aim to always strike the right balance between energy efficiency and lap times under all track and racing conditions in order to optimally exploit the vehicle’s full potential," says Dr. Klaus Boettcher, Vice President of Bosch Motorsport.
"The extensive transfer of know-how and expertise at Bosch between volume production developments and applications for the race track help us in this regard."
The MS 50.4P adapts dynamically so that the fastest possible lap time can be achieved with a finite amount of energy, while ensuring maximum energy recovery rates and adapting to race conditions, optimising feedback to the driver.
Nicolas Mauduit, the EVP and Chief Technical Officer of DRAGON / PENSKE AUTOSPORT said: "This alliance with Bosch is providing us with additional resources, amplifying our ability to scale our engineering, while giving us access to Bosch’s combination of hardware and software expertise to help us compete with the largest OEMs, in the most competitive motorsport championship.
"We have been hard at work together in order to hit the ground running this season, and I am eager to seeing the results of our efforts when the new PENSKE EV-5 package, supported by the Bosch electronic and hardware ecosystem, makes its debut."