Eric Broadley founded Lola in 1958, then built one of the most famous names in racing. That name slowly went out of business at the end of 2012, the bankruptcy proceedings first claiming Lola Cars international, then Lola Composites, and finally the parent Lola Group International in 2013. Following a few asset auctions, in 2022, Till Bechtolsheimer bought the rights to the name, all of Lola’s intellectual property going back to the late 1950s, and Lola’s old Technical Centre with its wind tunnel. When Daily Sports Car
Yamaha will supply the electric motor, its interest in developing electrification expertise it can apply to its vehicle lineups, especially the scooter and marine divisions, as well as contribute to the company’s 2050 carbon neutrality goal. Lola will assemble the rest of the powertrain, like the software for energy and control systems. Yamaha and Lola have spent 18 months so far developing their entry; the first shakedown is planned for June at Lola’s Silverstone, England, base.
Every Formula E car uses a 350-kW e-mo tor to power the rear wheels, with another motor on the front axle used only for regenerative braking
It seems Lola doesn’t just want to supply Yamaha, it’s considering a vehicle powertrain package for other teams down the line, perhaps when the Gen4 car gets introduced. Lola Cars’ motorsports director Mark Preston said, “This project will allow us to create a unique electrified platform with a software focus at its core to provide a basis for Lola’s wider plans in defining the future of motorsport technology.” Before heading up motorsports at Lola Cars, Preston served as Team Principal of DS Techeetah, guiding the FE team to two championships.
Beyond electrification, Lola plans to develop a hydrogen-powered platform to take part in the Le Mans hydrogen test in 2027, and also something in sustainable fuels and materials. On the Le Mans effort, Lola said it prefers a fuel-cell setup, but it’s open to hydrogen-based internal combustion, the latter another area of Yamaha expertise
There are 11 teams on the FE grid this season. Lola, as the powertrain manufacturer of record, and Yamaha, as the technical partner, are expected to take over one of those teams instead of adding a 12th.