show in public. As you can imagine, automotive involves a lot of “custom-business” – customised/bespoke items created for customers and bound by Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs).
But essentially, we are mainly focused in standard components, we have a catalogue where a customer can select and buy items, and receive the package in 24 hours. Automotive is different – when we develop an item for them, they don’t want us to talk to anyone. Sometimes it is even difficult just to get the information of what they want from us! So there is a limit to what can be made publicly available. We have a separate business unit called Würth Elektronik iBE. This company engineers and manufactures 100% custom-specific passive components for the automotive industry and is market leader for rod chore inductors.
Right now, what you have in the FE car is standardised, it is homologated and in the next season, when development starts, our intention is not to sell any components to another FE team. Though if the team were to sell the transmission or power train to another team, then this would mean our technology being available to other teams indirectly.
BA: I know Würth Elektronik eiSos has several patents and even though you are involved in Formula E – but do you envisage your engagement in motorsport preventing future patents (at it is in F1, for example)?
OO: Bottom line is no, we don’t want to prevent patents. You have to look at patents from two angles; on one hand the more patents you have, the more your competition can see and analyse what you do as a company and secondly patents (application) take a lot of time and resources – to fill out templates, and send off forms to the patent office. I assume this is another reason why F1 doesn’t bother with patents because it takes a long time, which they don’t have (to waste)!
We have a similar approach: we say patents are nice but our main focus is actually just to be faster than the competition.
It has been reported that the lack of patents in F1 is because if a team takes out a patent on a design, that locks in an advantage the other teams cannot access. So the other teams just vote it out through the FIA Technical Working Group process by the end of the season.
BA: What were your thoughts on the Berlin ePrix?
OO: Berlin was a good event despite the result. I mean depends how you look at it; from the Drivers’ championship perspective, there was a lack of points for Lucas but in terms of publicity and awareness for the brand and the team, it was good. Usually the race is over once the drivers receive their trophies and you look forward to the next race. And even with the disqualification, people are still talking about it after the race, they post pictures so awareness was even better.
BA: I organise a Twitter Q&A after each ePrix (#FEBuzz) and after Berlin, ABT’s PR joined the session to clarify aspects of the race and everyone appreciated their effort to explain the error which lead to the disqualification. You certainly chose the perfect partner with a strong brand.
OO: Abt is a strong team and I know we made the right call with our partnership with them. As I said before, we have a long history and partnership with the Abt team so it is already a family. Being a partner is more than sending invoices back and forth – a lot of things are happy on the side lines. In terms of the disqualification, it
wasn’t nice and the team said they wouldn’t appeal for the sake of sportsmanship. They know the sport is not always black and white – there is always a grey zone but the team knows if they are good enough, they will win the championship. Sometimes it’s luck, other times you are unlucky but you try to make the best of it.
Speaking to partners and guests, they were satisfied with the Berlin ePrix event. You know, most of them attend to get closer to the drivers and to the action. Even with our customers, we have partnerships – it’s not just a buying-selling story; it’s a long term partnership and this is where the company’s success comes from.
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