It’s OFFICIAL – Jaguar in Formula E electric racing for 2016 (video)

Jaguar has confirmed that it is back in motor racing, joining the FIA Formula E season in 2016 with a new car they hope will help them develop electric road cars.

Last week we revealed Jaguar are planning to get back in to motor racing, but rather than taking a traditional racing route they were planning to join the electric Formula E. And now it’s been confirmed, along with accreditation for the entry by the FIA.

The third season of Formula E starts late in 2016, and Jaguar will be there with a new car (pictured above) as a full manufacturer-backed team in the hope not just of success, but of learning lessons about electric cars they can feed in to future electric road cars.

As expected, Jaguar will also be tapping in to the expertise at Williams F1 in their quest for success, with Williams as Technical Partner and, no doubt, gurus on all things motorsport.

With almost a year to go before the Formula E 2016-2017 season starts, Jaguar hasn’t revealed details of drivers yet, nor what will power the electric Jaguar. But now Formula E has allowed manufacturers to use their own powertrains – rather than all using the same, as it was in the first season – Jaguar will be busy developing their electric motors.

Nick Rogers, JLR’s Group Engineering Director, said:

I am proud to announce Jaguar’s return to racing with an entry into the innovative FIA Formula E championship. Electric vehicles will absolutely play a role in Jaguar Land Rover’s future product portfolio and Formula E will give us a unique opportunity to further our development of electrification technologies. The Championship will enable us to engineer and test our advanced technologies under extreme performance conditions.

It’s an interesting direction for Jaguar to take, and it will no doubt speed the development of the first electric Jaguar and Land Rover cars and attract more interest in the Formula E series.

Jaguar Formula E Intro Video