Hybridisation formally proposed for WRC | Update!

The world's foremost rallying class will likely feature hybrid cars that can run on pure electric power from 2025

Update - 17.06.2019

The FIA is creating a new generation of World Rally Championship regulations that would introduce hybrid cars capable of running on pure electric power from 2025. The proposed rules – which, if cemented, would come into force three years after common hybrid electric units are added to cars in the next homologation cycle – are designed to allow more technical freedom for manufacturers and spice up competition.

This, as you might imagine, is intended to lure more big brands to the sport, giving them a closer technical link to models they’ll likely be selling on the road in the 2020s than the present four-cylinder machines. It’s a move FIA president Jean Todt said would have come in sooner had the sport’s current teams, which include manufacturers Citroen, Ford, Hyundai and Toyota, been more supportive. It seems the FIA is now using its leveraging power to encourage the shift.

While the cars will be capable of running on electric power alone, this will be limited to their time travelling between stages, which can often include jaunts through city centres. The focus of the electric hardware during competition will be to provide added power during timed stages, increasing overall performance and likely also reducing fuel usage – all familiar stuff these days.

It’s of little surprise that the FIA hasn’t yet suggested following in the footsteps of the World Rallycross Championship and moving to full-electric power; that has been met with a mixed reaction and even seen some manufacturers removing their support for the class. But you have to wonder if the shift to hybrid power is a first step towards the inevitable electrification of rallying. At least we’ll have the classic classes to pine over…

With FIA focussing the rest of its attention on making the WRC more competitive, it has also announced plans to introduce a control tyre from 2021 and change regulations to make it easier (and more attractive) for manufacturers to enter larger cars into the sport. Does this mean we could see saloons back in the sport like the good old days? Probably not. But it may at least encourage the reintroduction of the likes of C-segment hatchbacks.

Original story - 30.01.2019

FIA president Jean Todt is pushing for the introduction of electrified powertrains into the World Rally Championship by 2022 in order to attract more manufacturers to the sport. The Frenchman believes the world's premiere rally class needs to play a technological role in the industry like the FIA's other top categories. In fact, he reckons such a change in engine regulations should have taken place years ago.

"It is a big frustration for me not to see that rallying has engaged on at least some hybridisation and new technology," Todt told Autosport. "For me, this is completely no position; when I go in motor shows in Frankfurt, Paris, China, Japan, Geneva, I only see new technologies. It's frustrating to see in an FIA world event they don't want new technologies."

Todt claimed that up until now the WRC's teams, which include manufacturers Citroen, Ford, Hyundai and Toyota, have not been keen to integrate electrification into their rally cars - odd, given how expeditiously all of those brands are investing in EV tech for their road cars. Now, however, it seems the teams have warmed to the idea of hybrid cars, and Todt wants new regulations for 2022 to be announced by the middle of this year. FIA rally director, Yves Matton, said this gives the manufacturers "more than enough time".

Just how electrified will the FIA demand the cars be? There'd be quite a backlash from the WRC's committed fans if cars were to go full EV. Plans to do the same have already seen manufacturers drop out of the World Rallycross Championship - so a petrol-hybrid seems like the most obvious choice for WRC. Perhaps we could see an electric motor simply boosting the outputs of the turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinders that power today's cars. Or perhaps the regs will go further and require cars to run in electric mode between stages.

It's not hard to imagine the WRC's manufacturers supporting such a scenario from 2022, when the current engine regulation period comes to an end. And we can't imagine the fans would be too bothered either, so long as the cars remain spectacular and raucous. Of course, some may have a different opinion and see this shift to hybrid power as the first step towards the full electrification of WRC.