Porsche announced today that the all-electric Porsche Taycan has been selected by the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship as the next season’s Formula E safety car.
The all-electric Porsche Taycan will make its debut at the opening lap of the Formula E season on 28/29 January in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia.
The Porsche Taycan Turbo S will feature a striking livery with the colors of all eleven teams that compete in the Formula E Championship, in combination with the FIA and Formula E color scheme.
The combination of colors represents the commitment of all parties involved in Formula E to push towards a future of all-electric motorsports.
All-electric Porsche Taycan Turbo S is up for the challenge
The Porsche Taycan Turbo S should be up for the challenge with its output of 560 kW or 751 HP. The all-electric, rear-wheel-drive Porsche completes the 0 to 60 mph sprint in 2.8 seconds, and a top speed of 163 mph.
“We’re proud that Formula E has entrusted a Porsche with this task – one that is important for the safety of its drivers,” says Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsport. “With the Taycan Turbo S as the official safety car, we’re making an important contribution to track safety and also underlining the importance of Formula E for Porsche Motorsport.”
“The distinctive design illustrates our commitment to the successful future of this innovative racing series,” Laudenbach added. “Although we’re rivals out on the track, we’re spreading this message to the world together. What’s more, we hope that this also enables us to appeal to a younger target audience who are not yet motorsport fans.”
To turn the Porsche Taycan Turbo S into a Formula E safety car a roll cage and racing bucket seats with a six-point harness were installed. Furthermore, a wire harnesses for the safety car lighting and the Marelli Logger System, as well as a fire extinguisher and a high-tech communication system were added to the otherwise standard Porsche.
“Formula E is delighted the Porsche Taycan Turbo S will serve as the Championship’s safety car from Season 8,” says Jamie Reigle, CEO of Formula E. “The Porsche Taycan Turbo S is the pinnacle of high performance electrified vehicles and will light up Formula E city racetracks around the world.”
“In designing the Formula E safety car, Porsche reimagined the critical on-track safety function to be a powerful symbol of the championship’s commitment to an electrified future and the unity of the competitors in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship,” Reigle continued to say.
The end result is an all-electric Porsche Taycan Turbo S that doesn’t only look the part but should also play the part when it comes to keeping pace in this season’s ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.
Photos courtesy of Porsche, and ABB FIA Formula E World Championship