It is increasingly obvious that the transition route to low-carbon transport is not clear cut. A straight switch to battery electric vehicles (BEV) is not the silver bullet some are advocating. While ideal for many applications, BEVs cannot – at least with current technology – meet every transport need. This is as true in racing as it is in general automotive. And while hybridisation has made impressive inroads into the sport, pure BEVs are still battery limited to short sprint races.
However, motorsport cannot be left behind, and must de-carbonise if it is to retain both public support and, more importantly, marketing money.
There are several options for lowering emissions from racing beyond sprints (side stepping the glaringly obvious issue of flying cars and hundreds of people around the world to compete). Sustainable fuels are a feasible solution, with those produced using renewable energy theoretically having a lower carbon footprint.
Then there is hydrogen (H2), touted by some as the panacea for emissions reduction, and dismissed by others as an expensive red herring. H2 fuel cell EVs are available on sale (though, depending on where you are in the world, fuelling then can range from impossible to tricky) and being investigated in racing. The FIA and ACO are pushing for an H2 FC class at Le Mans from 2025, with the Dakar Rally also flying the flag for the fuel. The topic of this feature, however, is much closer to ‘traditional’ racing powertrain technology, hydrogen-fuelled ICE.
Old as the hills
As with so many ‘cutting edge’ technologies, there is nothing new about the idea
