Since coming to Europe from the Nissan R&D department in Japan three years ago, Tadashi Nishikawa has become a vital member of the team, overseeing the development of the Nissan Formula E powertrain.
‘Tad’ is the key connection between Nissan’s race and road operations, enabling the technology transfer between Europe and Japan. We sat down with the Nissan Formula E Team’s main link to Nissan HQ.
What is your background and your current role at the Nissan Formula E team?
Nissan has been part of my life for 20 years now. Before moving to the Formula E side, I was responsible for the development of passenger cars in Japan, working on models such as the Skyline, Fairlady Z and LEAF. I was responsible for the driveline, which meant components across the brand.
In 2021, I moved over to the Nissan Formula E project to take on my current position of Chief Powertrain Engineer. My main role is to co-ordinate the powertrain specifications and study the best ways to optimise the car. I don’t design specific parts, but I oversee and take responsibility for the project as a whole.
How did your move from road cars to motorsport come about?
I was a driveline engineer previously, and my manager considered me for my current position in Formula E thanks to my transferrable skills. I knew it would be a challenge, but I was delighted to be offered the role.
Do you work closely with Nissan R&D in Japan?
I’m in regular communication with our global workforce in Japan. Sometimes we brainstorm with engineers from the Nissan Technology Centre about future technologies. We also share ideas. It’s my job to bring the philosophies of the two together, to help us all develop on both the Formula E and passenger vehicle operations, improving our output across the board.
What are some of the challenges that come with your role?
Finding balance between the performance of each component remains a huge challenge. Sometimes in development teams, each engineer works exclusively on their own task. This can cause scenarios where everybody optimises a specific part, which then leads to issues in other areas, often between motor, inverter and gearbox.
The difficulty is ensuring the engineers collaborate well as a unit, to improve the entire car rather than a specific part. They are all proud of their work, so it can sometimes be a challenge to convince them to change direction if we feel it is better for the overall project!
What difference struck you most when you made the change from consumer to Formula E cars?
Typically, on the automotive side, we would benchmark other cars on the market. In motorsport, you can never fully understand what your rivals are doing, as you can’t get a close look at their development projects. The only time this is possible is when engineers move from team to team, but even then, they can’t share much as all the information is confidential!
How can Nissan Formula E and Nissan road car operations benefit one another?
From road cars to Formula E, there is less direct benefit as the technology requirements for each are very different. We do take some know-how from the R&D department in Japan, applying their working logic to our projects, and using some design methods from smaller components.
It’s not a direct transfer, but we believe our experience with other Nissan projects has a big impact on our development in Formula E.
On the racing side, we use the technology in its most advanced form. We worry less about cost, or NVH (noise, vibration and harshness). In terms of efficiency and power density, Formula E operates at a much higher level compared to road cars. This means we can see what is possible if we only focus on performance. Then, we can think about how to adapt for passenger vehicles, while keeping cost and NVH down.
When you joined Nissan Formula E Team, how much did your experience from your previous job working with EVs help you develop into the role?
I had a good base of engineering knowledge but there was still a lot to learn. My previous experience was definitely useful, but ahead of joining the team, I hadn’t designed any electric parts. So when I made the move, I had to learn the design philosophy of each component.
What are the main differences between the design of a road car and race car powertrain?
Cost! Also, the NVH. I have designed Final Drive units before, so I know the trade-offs involved in making a component with good NVH, efficiency or weight. In passenger cars, it’s a key part of this equation. But in Formula E, NVH is less of a factor when designing powertrains. It’s impressive – if you ignore the NVH, efficiency becomes much higher. I was in awe of these differences when I first joined the team!