Mercedes-Benz has its first Electric Racecar

The EQ Silver Arrow 01

A day before the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz decided to reveal its first ever all-electric racecar dubbed the EQ Silver Arrow 01. The Stuttgart automaker is expected to participate in the EV racing Series, Formula E, starting next season. Mercedes will be the only brand competing in the F1 and FE simultaneously. 

Photos Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz.

An All-Electric Alternative

In 2014, Formula E was launched as an electric-inspired alternative to Formula One and all gas-driven motorsports. The idea had been pursued previously but failed. What started out as a modest proposition is now in its fifth season and has already attracted high-profile automakers such as BMW, Audi, Jaguar, Nissan, and now Mercedes. Starting next year, Porsche is expected to join as well. 

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HWA Team

Mercedes-Benz announced its plans to join Formula E in 2017. It will be coming into the series by joining a team that's already too familiar with Formula E. It's dubbed HWA Racelab, and has worked with Mercedes before in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) racing series. In fact, the team is AMG's long-time racing and manufacturing partner and is run by Hans-Werner Aufrecht, co-founder of AMG. Stoffel Vandoorne, a former Formula One driver, will be behind Mercedes' electric racecar next season. 

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Built with Some Help

Mercedes-Benz didn't produce the EQ Silver Arrow 01 alone. The Italian and French outfits Dallara and Spark took care of the chassis. Lucid Motors' battery arm, Atieva, produced the 52kWh battery pack which comes integrated by McLaren Applied Technologies and with Sony cells. Formula E allows automakers to build all the battery accessories, including the electric motor, inverter, front brake ducts, and gearbox. This helps them focus on getting the best battery performance and also in cutting cost. 

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Power

With all the important specs laid out, it's time to find out what the EQ Silver Arrow 01 can really do. This largely anticipated racecar can churn 340 horsepower. This helps it get from 0-60 mph in 2.7 seconds. Batteries are rated at 200 kW (which translates to 270 horsepower) while racing. It's said that the EQ Silver Arrow can cover the entire 45-minute race without needing a recharge. Its top speed stands at 174 mph. 

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Teaser Livery

According to Mercedes-Benz, the car showcased at Geneva wears a "teaser livery". This means that race colors will include a different paint job from the one debuted. The blue line cutting across the car represents the EQ brand and closely links to the Petronas green line that graces the Mercedes-AMG W10 F1 car. 

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New Playing Field

The automaker will race against Audi, Citroen, Nissan, BMW, Jaguar, and Mahindra in FE's OEM club. New teams from NIO, a Chinese startup, and Venturi, a French EV maker, will also join the league. Mercedes-Benz looks forward to demonstrating its intelligent battery-powered machines in motorsports. This will play a huge role in boosting its electric EQ brand. We await to see if the company's winning streak witnessed in Formula One will carry over to Formula E. 

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