Molex, joined with Mouser Electronics, announced to sponsor Jay Penske’s Dragon Racing team in the second season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) Formula E electric car racing series. The 2015 – 2016 FIA Formula E Championship series started October 24 in China at the Beijing ePrix. Other races will be held in Malaysia, Uruguay, France, Germany, England, Russia and the U.S.
The Dragon Racing team is backed by major driving talent, including Loic Duval, winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2013, and European Formula Master Champion Jerome D’Ambrosio. The Numbers 6 and 7 cars will include prominent Molex and Mouser branding.
“As one of the world’s leading providers of integrated electronic solutions, we feel this sponsorship provides Molex with the opportunity to illustrate its commitment to developing products that help advance the automotive industry,” said Mark Rettig, global marketing director, transportation, Molex. “We have a long history of designing small footprint, high-performance interconnects that excel in heavy-duty powertrain and body-electronic applications, making our products ideal to address many of the challenges found in today’s evolving automotive applications.”
Some examples of Molex automotive solutions include the CMC Connection System, used in powertrain applications including engine-control units (ECUs), compartment applications, gearboxes, electronic parking brakes and suspension controllers; the MX150™ Sealed Connector System, which supports low-level signal and power applications for on-engine automotive applications; and the Mini50™ line of connection systems, which achieve 50% space savings over traditional USCAR 0.64mm connectors with sealed or unsealed Mini50 single- and dual-row receptacles.
“Being a sponsor of the first FIA Formula E electric car racing series was a thrilling experience, and we are delighted to sponsor the Dragon Racing team for the 2015 – 2016 series. It is an opportunity for us to demonstrate our support of alternative energy solutions, including the advancement of electronic vehicles,” Rettig added.
Formula E racing was developed by FIA, the governing body for world motor sports. Formula E features cars powered exclusively by electric energy and represents a vision for the future of the motor sports industry over the coming decades. The racing series serves as a framework for R&D on electric vehicles, accelerating general interest in these cars and promoting sustainability.
(Graphic: FIA Formula E)