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.
1) They do lots of miles during an event, mostly on road liaisons between stages, this means they would need a relatively large battery (HEAVY/EXPENSIVE)
2) Events generally take place in the countryside, miles from any charging network
3) They mostly run in a very high downforce configuration on very soft tyres that means tons of drag, meaning range per kWhr will be poor
4) They mostly run on slippy, low speed "tracks", meaning little scope for regenerative braking and hence any meaningful energy recovery
5) Manufacturers are already terminating hybrid developments to go full EV.
There is some sense in allowing a "hang-on" rear EDU, that could be a standard part, and allow mass produced fwd cars to be more easily converted to 4wd, but the chalenge of the where to safely and reliably put the energy storage is significant.
If they want to save the world and slow down the natural warming of the Earth, why dont they kill most Elephants? They destroy billions of trees leading to grassland/desert, encouraging wilderbeast/cows the biggest polluters. And obv. stop people breeding like rats!
But no, a few cars having fun.
1) They do lots of miles during an event, mostly on road liaisons between stages, this means they would need a relatively large battery (HEAVY/EXPENSIVE)
2) Events generally take place in the countryside, miles from any charging network
3) They mostly run in a very high downforce configuration on very soft tyres that means tons of drag, meaning range per kWhr will be poor
4) They mostly run on slippy, low speed "tracks", meaning little scope for regenerative braking and hence any meaningful energy recovery
5) Manufacturers are already terminating hybrid developments to go full EV.
There is some sense in allowing a "hang-on" rear EDU, that could be a standard part, and allow mass produced fwd cars to be more easily converted to 4wd, but the chalenge of the where to safely and reliably put the energy storage is significant.
...which the public touch the body of pushing them back on the road.
The fun police are having a fantastic time at the moment, with the 'political correctness gone mad' abolition of pit girls and the ever growing farce that all vehicles must be electrified. Fans don't want it, manufacturers don't want it. B###OCKS
Not to mention dull and uncompetitive.
It seems that being seen to do the 'right' thing is more important than considering what the fans - who make the sport viable - actually want.
1) They do lots of miles during an event, mostly on road liaisons between stages, this means they would need a relatively large battery (HEAVY/EXPENSIVE)
2) Events generally take place in the countryside, miles from any charging network
3) They mostly run in a very high downforce configuration on very soft tyres that means tons of drag, meaning range per kWhr will be poor
4) They mostly run on slippy, low speed "tracks", meaning little scope for regenerative braking and hence any meaningful energy recovery
5) Manufacturers are already terminating hybrid developments to go full EV.
There is some sense in allowing a "hang-on" rear EDU, that could be a standard part, and allow mass produced fwd cars to be more easily converted to 4wd, but the chalenge of the where to safely and reliably put the energy storage is significant.
Hybrid has been stated as allowed in the Gov's future EV plans so more manu's will be moving in this direction.
Motor-sport is where Innovation (used to) happen in its purest sense and hybrids will appear if and when they offer a technical / sporting advantage. That will never happen while battery tech is floundering, which will continue to do for decades IMO.
Engineers are pragmatists so the only way to get EV into sports like this and F1 before it, as things stand, is to mandate it. Sadly doing so is just encouraging more of the same pointless behaviour elsewhere too.
I actually feel sad for the progress of humanity, at least over here in Europe right now. I really believe most of the current direction of technology and innovation, not to mention regressive use of taxpayer subsidies here, is down to libtard brainwashing perpetuated through education / uni and by 'troughing' polticos. If we are lucky we will stop being so dumb before we hand all of our wealth the China and others (who talk a good game but actually still do exactly what's needed to power their economies).
It’s very much looking like the best time to be alive was the 90s into the mid 2000s (pre Facebook for example). Healthcare excepted - that’s one area where progression has been very welcome.
Its pretty much conform with having the possibility of Hybrid systems ore be forced to go full EV like rallycross. Then were just going to have a WRC series made up of super special stages
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