GKN Automotive, a leading supplier of automotive all-wheel drive and electric-driveline technology and systems, is continuing its partnership with Panasonic Jaguar Racing.

The global engineering group will strengthen its working relationship to support the team throughout season six of the ABB FIA Formula E championship, to further ‘test and refine what is possible in electric automotive performance’.

Panasonic Jaguar Racing (www.jaguar.com) unveiled its new 2019/20 Jaguar I-TYPE 4 during an official team launch event at Jaguar’s new design studio in Gaydon, Warwickshire.

The occasion also marked the continuation of GKN Automotive’s multi-year sponsorship of the team, maintaining a long-standing relationship with Jaguar and Jaguar Racing.

As part of an expanding technical ‘workstream partnership’, GKN Automotive will offer integration and control expertise to help boost Panasonic Jaguar Racing’s performance in future seasons.

Through current research projects at its Innovation Centre (a UK hub for advanced automotive eDrive development), plus ‘insight gleaned from the Panasonic Jaguar Racing partnership’, GKN Automotive will explore further technical development of electric drivetrains for future use in electric motor-sport.

GKN Automotive (www.gknautomotive.com) is also investing in young engineers and providing ‘pathways into engineering’ for apprentices, higher-education placement students and post-graduates.

The renewed partnership will allow GKN Automotive and Panasonic Jaguar Racing to work together to engage with young engineers interested in working in motor-sport, with each company potentially benefitting from work placement exchanges and the sharing of teaching resources.

GKN Automotive’s partnership renewal comes just months after the company delivered its one millionth eDrive system.

Demand for the company’s expanding eDrive portfolio, which encompasses a range of driveline technologies for electrified vehicles, has increased markedly in recent years; it currently has five major eDrive mass production projects in progress in China and Europe.