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- Season 10 of the all-electric motorsport championship continues in Tokyo on March 30.
22 ROWLAND Oliver (gbr), Nissan Formula E Team, Nissan e-4ORCE 04, action during the 2024 Hankook Mexico City ePrix, 1st meeting of the 2023-24 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, on the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez from January 11 to 13, in Mexico City, Mexico – Photo Xavi Bonilla / DPPI 
For the first time, Japan will host the electrifying racing action of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship as the series heads to the land of the rising sun for the inaugural Tokyo E-Prix.
Located on the streets surrounding the Tokyo Big Sight convention center, on the Tokyo Bay waterfront, the 2.58km circuit features 18 turns in a challenging layout with sequences of tight corners and high-speed combinations, set against the backdrop of the Tokyo skyline.Shuichiro Nakajima President & Representative Director (Country Holding Officer), ABB Japan, said: “With Tokyo considered one of the most technologically advanced cities in the world it’s the perfect venue for the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. The series is driving innovation in mobility and electrification through sport, just as ABB has been driving innovation in Japan over its 110-year history impacting social and industrial transformation in the country.”
To help Tokyo Haneda Airport reach targets of a 46 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, ABB’s DC fast chargers have been installed at the charging facility for ANA Group’s electric ground support equipment vehicles within the restricted area of the airport. The chargers are designed to support three charging standards to prepare for future electrification needs.
In addition to charging infrastructure, ABB provides technology to make this process more efficient. ABB is providing an energy optimization system for the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology’s (AIST) “Research and Development Pilot Project for the Realization of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) in Logistics Utilizing Commercial Vehicles”, which aims to introduce and operate EV buses at a reasonable price and contribute to the realization of a sustainable society. This system incorporates data such as operation plans, electricity prices and grid capacity to generate an optimized charging schedule.
Away from the road, ABB is supporting the electrification of other forms of transport. ABB and Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. Ltd. have collaborated on a fully electric dump truck. Powered by ABB’s BORD- LINE® battery system, the zero-emission vehicle draws power from overhead wires via pantograph. The battery is also charged using regenerative energy from braking while travelling downhill, reducing emissions during operation.
On water, ABB, contracted by IHI Power Systems Co. Ltd., has developed an electric tug for the ports of Tokyo Bay for Japanese towage specialist Tokyo Kisen Co. Ltd. The first vessel of its kind to operate in Japan, the Taiga tug features Onboard DC GridTM, which enables simple, flexible and functional integration of energy sources and loads.
Not only is ABB technology used to charge cars but also to paint them. It was in ABB’s Technical Center in Shimada, Japan, that the company’s award-winning Pixel Paint solution was developed. The revolutionary non-spray technology allows any design to be accurately replicated in a sustainable and affordable way.
ABB’s 3D vision system, in combination with RobotStudio® software, allows the paint head to track the vehicle body in close proximity, eliminating airborne mist and ensuring transfer efficiency is 100%. In addition to reducing emissions, it conserves energy and water by removing the need for masking materials and extra ventilation. For automotive manufacturers, this can cut production time in half and reduce costs by up to 60%.
Outside of the transportation sector, ABB is also improving energy efficiency in one of Japan’s biggest factories – the Tokuyama Nanyo cement plant. ABB Ability™ Expert Optimizer controls, stabilizes and optimizes industrial processes, reducing thermal energy consumption in the kiln by 3 percent and reducing the number of operator manual operations by about 70 percent.
Following the race in Tokyo, the Championship heads to another new venue, Misano, Italy, for two races on April 13 and 14. The season calendar comprises 16 races in 10 global locations, including additional new venue Shanghai.
ABB is 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 more than 140 years of excellence, ABB’s ~105,000 employees are committed to driving innovations that accelerate industrial transformation.
Formula E and the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship:
As the world’s first all-electric FIA World Championship and the only sport certified net zero carbon since inception, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship brings dramatic racing to the heart of some of the world’s most iconic cities providing an elite motorsport platform for the world’s leading automotive manufacturers to accelerate electric vehicle innovation.
The Formula E network of teams, manufacturers, partners, broadcasters, and host cities are united by a passion for the sport and belief in its potential to accelerate sustainable human progress and create a better future for people and planet.
