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Comment by miika | Hacker News Reader

Why not just replace battery at pit stop?

The batteries in a Formula E car, just for comparison, weigh 200 kg, according to Wikipedia. I don't know how much the batteries required to provide power comparable to F1 cars would weigh, but I'm pretty sure it's not less than that.

I suppose it might be possible to change the batteries using some kind of a crane system, but it doesn't seem straightforward to just replace the batteries quickly. It's not a single small battery.

If it's supposed to deliver cutting edge tech into consumer cars, one can expect them to push the envelope of what's possible (and feasible). Surely it's something a robotic system can do quickly and reliably, if you make engineers compete, like they did in F1 in 70's.

Sorry to disappoint you, but F1 electric engines which are used for F1 engine testing are miles ahead of any e-motor you'll see in any car for the next 20 years. Cutting edge PMM technology is not affordable, way too powerful, way too powerhungry, and way too fragile for any consumer car.

We (former F1 engine test engineer) were pushing the electric engine envelope way too far, latest Tesla's do look like VW Beetles to us. You simply cannot have tires and chassis control to keep such cars on the street. Nor heat control, you'd need special cooling systems.

But even with the simplest F1 tech: Consumer cars still don't have normal racing gear shifters nor CVS transmission nor 10Khz ECU's. They are fine with 500Hz. I cannot foresee any F1 PMM's nor other F1 tech in cars.

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