System-level EV and power management expertise boosts performance for racing team

Renesas Electronics has announced it is expanding its strategic technology partnership with Mahindra & Mahindra, Ltd and Mahindra Racing competing in the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, for the 2018-19 season. The team is collaborating on system-level design upgrades featuring the Renesas RH850/E2x MCU, created for the robust demands of powertrain systems, and the company’s automotive battery management ICs. For Season 5, the company took a module-level approach to the proof of concept design, creating an electronic control unit including PCB design, schematics, software, and modular-level testing. The upgrades provide significant processing power improvements and an improved safety system for the low-voltage battery. “Through our collaboration over the past season, Mahindra Racing and Renesas have achieved tremendous results, and as Formula E shifts gears for upcoming seasons, we are excited to work with Renesas and enhance the design of our next-generation racing vehicles,” said Dilbagh Gill, CEO and Team Principal, Mahindra Racing. “With Renesas’ expertise in developing production-ready systems for EV and automotive, and our winning race team, we will continue pushing the bar for electric racing.” “Formula E presents a unique design testing environment for EVs, allowing us to quickly prove our system-level design,” said Amrit Vivekanand, vice president, Automotive System Development Business Unit, Renesas Electronics Corporation. “We are excited to expand our strategic technology partnership with Mahindra Racing and share system-level design insights that will help the team accelerate the learning curve for EV design and contribute to a successful 2018-2019 season.”