You know the world is changing when Ferrari mentions hybrid technology. Shane O'Donoghuewonders if it, and sustainable motorsport, are worthy ideas or just PR spin
At the Hungarian Grand Prix a few weeks ago, each of the drivers used between 60 and 70 litres of high-octane petrol per 100 kilometres raced.
To put that into perspective, a high-performance saloon such as the BMW M3, driven hard, will use less than 20 litres over the same distance, while the average family car will use less than half of that again.
With a Formula One (F1) car consuming 6-7 times more fuel than most cars it's no wonder the F1 rules are being changed to promote the use of new fuel-saving technologies.
In 2006, the sport's governing body, the Federation Internationale L'Automobile (FIA), announced new regulations to allow, from 2009, recovery and re-use of kinetic energy lost during braking. The main aim of the change in strategy is to encourage technology transfer to mainstream motoring, with reductions in fuel consumption and emissions top of the list of priorities.
Improving the spectacle is also on the agenda though, and so the FIA stipulated that the new Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS) must allow the driver a "Push to Pass" button, where the stored energy is released momentarily to aid an overtaking manoeuvre. Initially, energy release will be limited to about 80bhp for just under seven seconds per lap, so drivers will have to use it wisely.
It doesnt take a PhD in engineering to realise that the use of a KERS system in F1 isnt really about saving fuel - at least not in its current guise. Creating a more entertaining show, is very important for the FIA.
Chris Brockbank of Torotrak - one of the companies developing KERS for motorsport and road-going applications - talked to The Irish Times at the annual Motorsport Industry Association media day at Rockingham race circuit in England.
He agrees that, in isolation, the 2009 rules have little or no effect on fuel economy, cost or emissions, but he insists its a step in the right direction and the beginning of a new age.
Brockbank predicts that F1 cars of the future will be powered by low capacity, but highly boosted, engines making much more use of KERS-like technology and points out that the science behind this is to be used on road cars in the not too distant future.
Torotrak is also one of the companies taking part in a UK government funded project (involving Jaguar and Land Rover) to deliver a road car that uses KERS, which it is believed will be more efficient than the current generation of battery hybrids.
When asked to comment on the possibility of Ferrari using such a system , Brockbank openly admitted that Torotrak had demonstrated its technology to many companies, but he didnt know whether Ferrari would use its system in what is rumoured to be the company's first hybrid supercar.
Ferrari is not alone in needing to reduce its carbon footprint, or at least needing to be seen to do just that. In fact it is possible that Toyota's luxury arm, Lexus, will beat Ferrari to that prize.
Environmentalists are often quick to point a finger at sportscar makers, but right now its the high value, low volume car producers that have the opportunity to pioneer new technology that will eventually trickle down to normal cars. For example Swedish supercar maker, Koenigsegg, sells a version of its CCX supercar that runs on bio-fuel, while the Lotus 265E bi-fuel prototype has been featured on these pages in the past.
At Rockingham Lotus demonstrated the next iteration: the 270E. This is capable of running on any mixture of unleaded petrol, bio-ethanol and methanol. However, growing crops for fuel is not a good solution and this modified Exige is merely Lotuss way of drawing attention to its other research into sustainable motoring.
Lotus claims that it will have the technology to power cars from synthetically produced alcohol fuels in less than five years. Not only that; the fuel will be produced by extracting carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, making the whole process carbon neutral.
Unfortunately, Lotus estimates that the infrastructure necessary to support synthetic alcohol fuels won't be in place for up to 20 years.
What about electric cars? The Lotus-built Tesla Roadster hits the streets this year, while the recent British Motor Show heralded the arrival of the 700bhp Lightning GT supercar, along with a handful of cheaper electric city cars. Theres no arguing with the performance potential of high-power electric motors, with maximum torque available instantaneously. However, even with advances in battery technology the balancing act of performance versus usable range will rage on for some time.
In any case, electric cars are only planet-friendlyif they are recharged from a renewable power source, which rules out most of Irelands electricity supply.
The motor industry is fully aware of its responsibility to ensure that its products are made in a sustainable manner but every aspect of a cars life cycle needs to be examined.
Its pointless if F1 drastically improves its cars' fuel economy when it still takes a fleet of Jumbos to fly the teams around the world to each race. Likewise, whats the point of an electric car that uses coal- or gas-generated electricity to recharge?
Nevertheless, regardless of how little actual effect the likes of sustainable motorsport or hybrid supercars have on the world, their development is perhaps the most important PR there is for the advent of new green technology and we should embrace it with open arms.