Inside the Tamiya Formula E GEN2 Car

Paul Onorato February 28, 2025 Stories

ABOUT THE REAL FORMULA E GEN2 RACE CAR

The appealing factor with Tamiya car kits is the scale realism. The majority of the car kits they sell are modeled after real 1:1 cars and the Tamiya Formula E GEN2 Car is just one example of this. The Formula E GEN2 CAR is modeled after the GEN2 race car that races in the Formula E world championship. This is the top echelon of electric car racing. The Championship Livery verbiage found on the cover of the box refers to the stickers that are included in this kit to recreate the Championship Livery race car. The sleek, high-tech body with arch covered wheels is recreated in polycarbonate while the halo surrounding the driver, mirrors and rear diffuser/bumper are molded separately from ABS plastic.

ABOUT THE TAMIYA TC-01 CHASSIS

One of the first things you will notice with the Tamiya Formula E GEN2 Car is that its TC-01 chassis is incredibly low-profile measuring just under four inches tall. Part of what makes this possible is the special suspension setup where the shocks are mounted inboard on the chassis. The CVA oil-filled dampers are actuated by push rods and rockers arms thus allowing the use of very low-profile bodies like the GEN2 body. 4-wheel independent double wishbone suspension utilize long arms and are identical front and rear including all the uprights. This helps to make maintenance easier. You are able to adjust camber, skid and toe angle settings by altering the spacer width. A robust FRP composite monocoque frame chassis makes up this 4WD touring car with a centrally located motor. Dogbone propeller shafts take the power from the motor and feed it out to the front and rear oil-filled gear differentials.

The TC-01 suits low-profile bodies thanks to its inboard suspension.

SPECS

Item #58681
Chassis type: TC-01
Scale: 1/10
Length: 16.93 in. (430mm)
Width: 7.40 in. (188mm)
Height: 3.89 in. (99mm)
Wheelbase: 10.12 in. (257mm)
Construction type: Assembly kit
Chassis: Composite monocoque-frame
Chassis material: Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP)
Drivetrain: Shaft-driven 4WD
Differential: Oil-filled gear diffs
Bearings: Ball bearings and metal bushings
Suspension (F/R): A-arms
Shocks: CVA oil-filled dampers
Motor: Not included
Speed control: Not included
Wheels: 6-spoke molded in black
Tires: Rubber treaded tires

REQUIRED TO COMPLETE

2-channel radio system
ESC
540-size motor
Steering servo
Battery pack
Battery charger
Polycarbonate & ABS Plastic Paint

The inboard suspension has laid-down dampers actuated via pushrods and rocker arms. This image shows the front.

Use spacers to adjust camber, caster and toe angles.

The durable and composite monocoque-frame chassis provides shaft driven 4WD

7 TAMIYA HOP-UP OPTION PARTS TO CONSIDER FIRST

Along with all of the high-quality car kits that Tamiya produces, each of the kits are also nicely supported by a big assortment of Tamiya Hop-Up Option parts. Many are designed to increase the performance and/or durability of the vehicle while some are just some super cool eye-candy that can be bolted onto your car or truck. Following we picked seven Tamiya Hop-Ups parts to consider adding to the TC-01 chassis.

TC-01 Double Cardan Propeller Shaft—#54961

Add more efficiency to your Tamiya TC-01 chassis by removing the stock dogbone set up and adding the Tamiya TC-01 Double Cardan Propeller Shaft. This shaft is compatible with the TC-01 and is crafted in durable and rigid steel. It will provide true rotation at a range of angles thus making for a freer spinning drivetrain. You will need to purchase two of the Double Cardan Propeller Shafts so you can upgrade the front and rear.

TC-01 Aluminum Rocker Arms—#54955

The inboard suspension is quite a specialized setup and there are some Tamiya Hop-Up Option parts that can be added to make it even better. These are the TC-01 Aluminum Rocker Arms which have much less flex than the standard plastic parts thus giving a more direct feel from the suspension. Since these parts are clearly visible being located on top of the chassis, Tamiya anodized them in a brilliant blue color and you will need to pick-up two sets to change out the stock rear and front rocker arms.

TC-01 Stabilizer Set—#54956

Racing a car like the Tamiya Formula E GEN2 Car where there is a bunch of cornering can have its performance improved by adding the TC-01 Stabilizer Set hop-up. A stabilizer installed onto the suspension arms provides superior cornering stability by controlling how much the cars suspension leans into a turn, without sacrificing suspension dampening. Included in this set is one of each of the following: a soft (1.1mm), a medium (1.2mm) and a hard (1.3mm) stabilizer rod. All are black in color and have color markings on the end to differentiate their stiffness. It is possible to install them on the front or the rear and they fit snugly between the upper cover and the chassis.

TC-01 Titanium Screw Set—#47449

Weight is a definite factor when setting up a chassis for racing and the TC-01 is no exception. You can shed a total of approximately 13-grams of the car by using this Tamiya TC-01 Titanium Screw Kit over the kit standard steel counterparts. Found in this set are 76 screws of different types and all feature Hex heads instead of Philip head screws.

TC-01 Aluminum Steering Bridge—#54957

Dial-in the steering by adding the Tamiya TC-01 Aluminum Steering Bridge. It is nicely machined out of aluminum, anodized in blue and replaces the stock plastic steering bridge. You will find the steering to offer a sharper handling feel and operate more smoothly. When Tamiya creates parts like this, you can count on them being precise and this bridge has a lightweight design while also boosting overall chassis rigidity.

TC-01 Aluminum Steering Arms—#54958

Working hand-in-hand with the Tamiya TC-01 Aluminum Steering Bridge are these TC-01 Aluminum Steering Arms. Each are constructed of machined aluminum, anodized blue and further contribute to the steering feel on the TC-01. Steering will be smoother and be more responsive. Ball bearings are not included with the steering arms and require 8x5x2.5 size bearings.

TC-01 Aluminum Damper Extenders—#54960

Rounding out this abbreviated list of Tamiya Hop-Up Option parts for the TC-01 are these great looking TC-01 Aluminum Damper Extenders. Each are machined from aluminum and then blue anodized. Tamiya made the Extenders to be lightweight and precise to offer enhanced performance over the stock plastic shock parts. The added bonus is the upping of the cool-factor of the chassis with the well-known and incredible blue anodizing that Tamiya are masters at.