Episode 102: Up Close and Personal with Formula E Driver Lucas DiGrassi

Brazilian professional racing driver, Lucas DiGrassi, joined me live at the Portland International Raceway the day before the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship for ABT CUPRA and, holy cow, did we have an awesome chat! We explored motorsport's dual role as entertainment and a technology incubator, particularly emphasizing its historical impact on everyday automotive features and the current focus on electrification exemplified by Formula E. We also talked about the primary challenge facing electric vehicles: battery technology and energy storage capacity, despite their superior efficiency. Rapid charging technologies — capable of charging race car batteries in under five minutes — are also discussed, along with the prospect of introducing such advancements (*eventually*) to consumer vehicles. Don't miss Lucas's hot take on motorsport's role as a high-tech lab with a bunch of mad scientists running around the raceway... because well.. it's true! This is a whole new side of EVs that I haven't covered before, but lemme tell ya, I am HERE. FOR. IT.______________________________This episode is sponsored by ABB, a technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. The company’s solutions connect engineering know-how and software to optimize how things are manufactured, moved, powered, and operated. Building on over 140 years of excellence, ABB’s more than 105,000 employees are committed to driving innovations that accelerate industrial transformation. Learn more at https://www.abb.com _______________________________Connect with Elena:https://evs4everyone.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenaciccotelli/Let's talk on X:https://twitter.com/EVs_forEveryoneAre you connected with the show on LinkedIn? https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-evs-for-everyone-podcast/________________________Connect with Lucas DiGrassi on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/lucasdigrassiConnect with Lucas DiGrassi X: https://x.com/lucasdigrassi