AVX supports team at EV motorsport championship

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AVX Corp. hurtles ahead every day on the factory floor with the development and design of the next generation of electric vehicles.

But this February, the Fountain Inn company also will pioneer electric vehicle technology on a Saudi Arabian racetrack.

The company, which spearheads research and development of electric vehicle tools ranging from driver-assistance systems to power conversion, will rejoin TTI Inc. and Mouser Electronics in backing the Dragon/Penske Autosport racing team for the upcoming 2021 season, according to a news release.

The newly rebranded team is bound for Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, on Feb. 26 and 27, launching the seventh season of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, an all-electric racing series. The double-header race, held in a Unesco World Heritage site lit only by renewable energy sources, was originally set for Jan. 16 and 17 in Santiago, Chile.

The championship is heralded for its commitment to a net-zero carbon footprint.

“We’re delighted to be co-sponsoring the Dragon/Penske Autosport Formula E racing team for another exciting season in partnership with Mouser, TTI, and Molex,” Alex Schenkel, AVX’s senior vice president of global sales, said in the release. “The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is an especially thrilling way to promote global environmental sustainability and stewardship and to showcase the latest high-performance automotive EV technologies. It’s also wildly entertaining and interactive, even for viewers watching from home, which we hope will bring some much-needed joy and fast-paced excitement to the millions of fans affected by quarantines, closures and curfews.”

Electric vehicle technologies piloted by AVX include advanced passive component, interconnect, sensor, control and antenna solutions used in the powertrain; active body control; lighting; power conversion; drive control; and advanced driver-assistance system, according to the release.

“We’re all in this together and we’re very grateful for the opportunity to share some good, clean fun with auto racing enthusiasts around the world,” Schenkel said.