Napoleon Motorsports Will Be The First Team To Give Formula DRIFT A Spark

First ever 100% electric motor powered Pro1 Formula DRIFT Black Magic Pro Championship Presented by BlackVue Dash Cameras competition car. Welcome to the Napoleon Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro EL-1 as depicted on the back of the Napoleon Motorsports Turnkey Industries transporter. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2019)

Napoleon Motorsports Will Be The First Team To Give Formula DRIFT A Spark Om Joe, Lynn & Justin Napoleon med hjälp av Robert Quezada från Houston, Texas, får sina önskningar uppfyllda, kommer Napoleon Motorsports att bli det första teamet som tävlar i de högsta nivåerna av Formula DRIFT med 100% elektrisk kraft och därmed lägga en gnista till en redan elektrifierande visuell och ljudmässig uppvisning inom motorsport och motorkultur. Napoleon Motorsports har minst tre generationers erfarenhet av att bygga bilar och tävla med alla former av motordrivna fordon, från dragstrip till circle dirt track och nu senast road/street courses med Trans Am Series Pirelli TA2-klassen med föraren Shane Lewis. Den senaste satsningen, som inleddes för ungefär sex månader sedan, var att skapa en bil som kunde tävla i Formula DRIFT-serien. Det är Chevrolet Camaro EL-1 Formula DRIFT Black Magic Pro Championship Presented by BlackVue Dash Cameras - Round 1: Streets Of Long Beach April 5-6, 2019 som körs av 2018 års Formula DRIFT Pro2-mästare, Travis Reeder. Detta är ett seriöst svar på en mycket seriös utmaning för Formula DRIFT-mästerskapet.

Joe Napoleon, Team owner and director of Napoleon Motorsports, describes some of the fabricated features in the converted engine to battery compartment during the Acura Grand Prix Of Long Beach Media Day. The weight and displacement of the batteries are fabricated to emulate the center of gravity and weight of a V-8 engine. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2019)

In what was to be their first official competition, however, the City Of Long Beach Fire Department in a joint recommendation made with the Acura Grand Prix Of Long Beach Friday morning, before Formula DRIFT’s first event of the 2019 season, that the Napoleon Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro EL-1 could not compete due to a little known city ordinance, until Friday, that prohibits electric and gasoline-powered cars on a track at the same time. The City Of Long Beach Fire Department also came out to say that the fire safety crew will not have the adequate time to train in case there’s an emergency with the car. Den mest förvirrande aspekten av allt detta är i sista minuten tidpunkten för denna rekommendation eftersom en historia av eldrivna tävlingar är allmänt känd, FIA Formula E tävlade här framgångsrikt i två år utan incident och att både City Of Long Beach Fire Department och sedan Toyota Grand Prix Of Long Beach kände sig bekväma med sin utbildning vid den tiden för dessa evenemang. Man skulle kunna tro att Formula DRIFT Black Magic Pro Championship Presented by BlackVue Dash Cameras fält av konkurrenter kan ha dragit en politisk snabb en eftersom bevis skulle föreslå, efter en titt på Formula DRIFT webbplats, att alla visste Napoleon Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro EL-1 Formula DRIFT bil skulle komma med två artiklar publicerade - Napoleon Motorsports: Attacking 2019 PRO1 Formula Drift Series (December 18, 2018) & Napoleon Motorsports: New Champion Pilot for EL1 (12 mars 2019). Ingen förväntade sig att "gnistan" Napoleon Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro EL-1 - med smeknamnet "Freedom" - skulle vara en i form av en politisk eller processkontrovers ... för att säga det mildt. Ganska konstigt. Official Response By Napoleon Motorsports via Facebook: Som svar på ett beslut som fattats av staden Long Beach och Acura Long Beach Grand Prix som förhindrar EL1 från att tävla kommer Travis Reeder nu att köra sin LS 240 i sin FD Pro1-debut. BÖRJA "Vi har inlett plan B och vi kommer att fortsätta framåt utan att misslyckas. Jag uppskattar all kärlek och allt stöd, jag respekterar de beslut som fattats. Det här är en indikation på den utbildning som återstår att göra... Vi kommer att ta lärdom av våra erfarenheter, ligga före kurvan för godkännande och vi ser fram emot att visa upp "Freedom" [EL1] i Orlando." - Joe Napoleon, huvudansvarig, Napoleon Motorsports ENDS Med Plan B bensindrivna LS240 slutade Travis Reeder på P14 av 32 förare - 33 poäng - 70 poäng efter vinnaren av omgång 1, Aurimas "Odi" Bakchis.

Travis Reeder stands beside his Napoleon Motorsports No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro EL-1 electric-powered Formula DRIFT car on display in downtown Long Beach. Image Credit: Napoleon Motorsports via Facebook (2019)

Justin Napoleon skrev i sitt mejlsvar - "För att gå vidare: som du vet hade vi Travis bil som reservbil. Han gjorde ett enastående jobb i tävlingen. Vi kommer att ha med oss reservbilen i händelse av att EL-1 inte kan köra av någon anledning. Vi kommer att vara i kontakt med rätt personal vid nästa evenemang (Orlando) i förväg. När det gäller Napoleon Motorsports; detta är bara ett mindre bakslag och vi kommer att fortsätta att driva framåt och uppåt när vi ser ut att vara en innovativ ledare inom EV Racing. Som tidigare nämnts; detta är bara början för oss. Vi har några mycket kreativa ambitioner bortom drifting som kommer att förverkligas i år när EL-1 visar sig vara en kraft att räkna med. "

Joe Napoleon, Team owner and director of Napoleon Motorsports, demonstrate the custom fabrication rear quarter panels used on the Camaro EL-1 for give during competition. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2019)

Napoleon Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro EL-1 “Freedom” Formula DRIFT De första frågorna man ställs inför handlar om att ta till sig ny, otraditionell teknik, precis som motorsportutövare har gjort sedan mobilitetslösningarna uppfanns. Strax efter andra världskriget satte folk på en fläkt från en dieselmotor till en gasdriven motor för att se vilka förbättringar det skulle innebära för hastigheten på dragstrippen och i tidskörningen. Med eldrivna motorer är det första elementet man omedelbart förstår det vridmoment som appliceras på hjulen, där detta vridmoment är samma höga nivå från början till slutet av effektbandet - detta kan inte sägas för bensindrivna motorer där en vridmomentkurva levereras - låg först, byggs upp till en sweet spot vid ett specifikt varvtal och sedan försvinner ju mer varvtal som appliceras. För det andra, i normala situationer för mobilitet, t.ex. som ett alternativ till bensindrivna motorer, räcker elkraften bara en viss tid och sedan måste man investera mycket längre tid för att ladda batterierna än att fylla en tank med vätska - detta kallas "Range Anxiety" - men när det gäller Formula DRIFT är det inte ett problem på grund av den mycket korta varaktigheten för varje tävlingssession sida vid sida.

Round 1 of the 2019 Formula DRIFT Black Magic Pro Championship Presented by BlackVue Dash Cameras season was to be the grand debut for this evolution in power equipment available for drifting. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2019)

This excerpted and edited from Drift Life – Electric Drifting – The Future? By: Jos Roder – March 22nd, 2019 With the all but confirmed introduction of an electric drift car into Formula Drift for the 2019 season, it opens the discussion around the future of drifting and the role electric vehicles may play in it. In December 2018, Formula Drift released a statement on behalf of Napoleon Motorsport about a sixth generation 2019 Chevrolet Camaro EL-1 the team was building that was described as “a revolutionary drift car” and “the first one of its kind in Formula Drift.” Fast forward to early 2019 and the rumours became stronger. On the February 27th Maximum Driftcast podcast, Formula Drift Technical Manager Kevin Wells spoke about regulations ahead of an electric car joining the series. The latest video from Napoleon Motorsport included flashes of electricity as part of the graphics so it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to put everything together. So unless there is a CIA level deception that has led everyone down the garden path, we will see an electric drift car competing in Formula Drift in 2019 and that Drift Life readers, is a fascinating prospect. Why Electric? “It’s inevitable!” Electric cars didn’t fly down in the last shower and they aren’t going anywhere.  Tesla is now a household name, manufacturers are pouring millions into electric R&D, ‘ludicrous mode’ makes grown men giggle and Formula E (electric based open-wheel racing series) continues to build an audience and has growing support globally. But electric drift car’s have already been made! Yes, companies around the world have already been experimenting with electric drift cars, like EV West and their Tesla powered E36.

The cockpit of the next evolution in Formula DRIFT competition. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2019)

To see an electric drift car in a top-level competition series however is a big step up. It was only a matter of time but the reality brings fundamental, technical and philosophical questions about the sport to the here and now. Some questions are being resolved through regulations but others can only be answered in competition and in the spectator stands. -- This brings us to what many see as in theory at least, a logical step into the world of electric motors. Electric Motor Benefits: Amazing torque characteristics No gears to change – should be quick off the line Handling characteristics  –  low battery and motor placement for 50-50 weight split and lower centre of gravity. Reliability – once early issues ironed out, in theory, there are fewer things that can go wrong with the drivetrain. Lowering overall vehicle weight Electric Drift Car Commercial Benefits Momentum is building and millions are being poured into R&D. Chevrolet recently displayed the eCOPO Concept Camaro, a car designed to run 9’s on the quarter through its two electric motors that produce a combined 800hp (and all the torques) and is no doubt a ploy designed to convince Chevrolet supporters that ‘electric’ can be cool. For Napoleon Motorsport, choosing a new Camaro as their electric vehicle choice given Chevrolet’s recent moves could be strategic or simply coincidental. Funding a race program is a huge investment so with projects like eCOPO underway, perhaps Napoleon Motorsport feels doors could open for manufacturer support. At a minimum, an electric drift car is unique, so a new range of sponsorship avenues for the team could no doubt be opened. Strategically, this aspect of the program could prove to be a smart move. Side note: electric cars are primarily about efficiency and environmental benefits….so the irony of introducing a smoke-inducing, tyre destroying electric drift car is not lost on us. Downsides/Challenges and Unanswered Questions From putting down its power too well off the line, lack of noise, through to handling advantages and reliability improvements, let’s rationally analyse some of the questions and thoughts that came up in our conversations on the matter. Q: Can a silent drift car excite anyone? For drift judges, a philosophical debate has to take place. The ‘sound’ of the car is not judged obviously, but it will be hard not to be fooled and remain impartial to what you are seeing compared another car that may have had an identical run, except with the screaming engine to compliment the run. For spectators, the equation is pretty simple. Can you get excited by a silent drift car that only oozes tyre squeal? That is a really hard sell. A huge component of drifting is enjoying high revving engines, turbo’s and V8s’s as they power through a course so an electric car will be eerily underwhelming. Q: How driveable are electric engine drift cars? According to the EV West team and JehuGarcia, the light switch on and off feeling, plus the ramp on and off characteristics of the engine was quite hard to control in current specification. Is Napoleon Motorsport there yet? We don’t know. Q: Will electric drift cars put down the power too well from the holeshot? A cars ability to accelerate is dependant on a variety of factors, but primarily comes down to how much grip a tyre can produce on a given surface. The crazy 0-100 (0-60) times we see by Tesla’s are with AWD systems. A RWD based system would be absolutely slower. Overall, I think this would be a negligible difference. Q: Will electric cars have a fundamental performance/handling advantage? Overall vehicle weight, the centre of gravity and weight distribution are all considerations. The overall weight of a vehicle governs the tyre size a car can run, so even if the car was substantially lighter than a standard Camaro (which it probably is), tyre size will be reduced to negate the advantage in this area. Centre of gravity however is certainly an area a competition drift car could have an advantage in. -- The flexibility of battery placement (should it be allowed in technical regulations) can also ensure a perfect 50:50 weight distribution should that be the balance they are looking for. Q: Will electric drift cars be perfectly reliable? I’d suggest not initially, but with fewer components in play, that should prove to be a slight advantage in this area over the medium-term. It is worth noting a number of Formula Drift Pro cars are very reliable and most have backup parts to keep them in the game even with failures. Q: Will electric drift cars create an arms race/fractures in the fabric of the sport? This question only brings up more questions. If electric vehicles drift amazingly, are ultra reliable and gain momentum, will other teams be forced to spend into oblivion to keep up? Will there become a huge divide and traditionalists that mean electric cars are outlawed or become a separate series? Having electric drift cars upsetting the competition apple cart in such a severe way is probably hyperbole, but major controversy in motorsport is hardly a new concept so who knows! 

The business end of the Napoleon Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro EL-1. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2019)

The Bottom Line – We Fear Change -- Electric cars are part of our collective future whether we like it or not, so we should at least give them a chance in the sport and investigate if it will be a fit for drifting in the future. So until the electric car competes a season, I’ll be watching on with an open mind and a tonne of popcorn. My bet is it will be an anti-climatic debut, but that is nearly to be expected of any new campaign in Formula Drift Pro category with a new build, let alone an electric variant, but I’m happy to be wrong! -- P.S Drift runs are so short, Range Anxiety shouldn’t be a thing!? Unless you have 5 re-runs in your Top 32 and you can’t swap out batteries? [Reference Here] Efter att ha undersökt några artiklar om situationen som placerade "Freedom" på sidlinjen hade publicerats, var Napoleon Motorsports första svar att bilen tillverkades med alla säkerhetsaspekter för FIA Formula E som mall och byggdes enligt FIA:s regler för elbilar. De blev aldrig medvetna om denna Long Beach City Ordinance, och tydligen inte heller evenemangsproducenten Formula DRIFT ... eller borde det vara tvärtom? Napoleon Motorsports vill bara tävla och kommer att ta med sig båda tävlingsplattformarna - "Freedom" och LS240 - till varje tävlingsplats och är medvetna om att det kan finnas en inlärningskurva på varje tävlingsplats under hela säsongen. Så vi väntar alla på den första riktiga "Freedom"-körningen i en Formula DRIFT-tävling i Pro-divisionen, ta med gnistan och se vart den här teknikapplikationen tar vägen - hittills har utrustningen eller teamet inte tillåtit Camaro EL-1 att tävla ... i Long Beach var det kanske rädslan för förändring ... anteckningar från EDJE TAGS: electric drift car, Formula DRIFT, Napoleon Motorsport, Camaro EL-1, Freedom, City Of Long Beach, Acura Grand Prix Of Long Beach, The EDJE