BMW to join Audi in Formula E – official entry in 2018

It appears that competition in Formula E is building in earnest – just days after Audi announced that it would enter Formula E as a works entry, BMW has confirmed it will follow suit. Munich will join the open-wheel electric vehicle racing series during the 2018/2019 season, one season after Ingolstadt.

Run by the current Andretti team, the cars will use an all-new BMW electric drivetrain, developed by BMW i in conjunction with BMW Motorsport. The company claims that the lessons learnt on the track will be directly applied to the development of future BMW i models, including the iNEXT.

“Through our involvement in Formula E, we are addressing the development towards sustainable and emission-free mobility in the automobile industry,” said member of the board of management for development Klaus Fröhlich. “We are using Formula E as a development laboratory, operating under the unique conditions that prevail in motor racing – with very unique demands and opportunities.”

Andretti Autosport CEO Michael Andretti said, “We are excited to expand our partnership with BMW i and serve as BMW’s official Formula E works team. The ongoing collaboration between BMW and Andretti Formula E has provided a strong foundation for BMW’s entry as an official manufacturer. We look forward to running BMW’s first all-electric racing drivetrain and competing for the Formula E Championship.”