Take more holistic view of energy efficient innovation,
Added: (Thu Nov 22 2007)
Pressbox (Press Release) -
(SILVERSTONE, November 2007) The UK motorsport industry has added its voice to the call for a more sophisticated approach to environmentally friendly transport. Research commissioned by Motorsport Development UK (MDUK), and conducted by Experian, has revealed that the industry – well known as an innovator of leading technologies for the whole transport sector – is not simply focusing on alternative fuels (such as biofuels), but is approaching fuel efficiency and emission reduction in an holistic way, especially in light of the continued year-on-year weight increase of new cars.
The results of this latest study, Motorsport 100, November 2007, show that the UK motorsport industry is a major innovator of environmentally friendly technology, exploring all facets of fuel and performance efficiency (aerodynamics, transmission systems, lower emission fuels, super-lightweight materials, etc). This contrasts with popular debate on the issue, which largely focuses on biofuel take-up.
The motorsport industry is shown to be developing key technologies that that will be of use not only on the race track but will also bring increased efficiency and performance to other industries, both now and in the future – in particular the automotive, aerospace and transport industries. As a result of these findings, the motorsport sector has added its voice to those of other more informed commentators, urging lobbyists, consumers, businesses and governments alike to adopt a more sophisticated approach to the reduction of carbon emissions, which recognises that weight, mechanical efficiency, aerodynamics and other factors contribute significantly to overall fuel consumption.
Bob Gilbert, Chairman of MDUK, comments, “It is clear that motorsport is not only leading the search for alternative, sustainable, low emission transport fuels, but is also at the forefront and looking to introduce measures that actually reduce consumption, rather than simply channelling it into another source. All of our social and economic systems are interdependent, and we are now seeing that the EU may be considering withdrawing biofuel subsidies because production has doubled and is rumoured to be forcing up agricultural commodity prices and therefore the cost of food staples for the ordinary citizen.”
“The British motorsport industry is, by contrast, developing many and varied technological solutions to increasing fuel efficiency, reducing vehicle weight, improving combustion and transmission efficiency, and recovering energy from braking. Major manufacturers are closely following innovations in British motorsport. For example, Honda, having seen the success of the Insight Formula 1000 petrol electric hybrid rally car developed by Oaktec, are working with the engineering company to develop a competition version of their current Civic hybrid car. Now it is the job of environmentalists, Government, lobbyists and interest groups to follow suit and speak with one voice about the need to adopt a suitably sophisticated approach to transport emission reduction.”
Jon Hilton, Managing Partner of engineering company Flybrid Systems, adds, "This issue of an all-round view of environmental improvement in the transport industries is very important. For example, the average weight of new cars increased by 18kg in 2006, continuing a long-term upward trend. Contributing factors are additional crash protection and the power-draining effect of aircon and power steering. All of these factors need attention in the R&D cycle to produce vehicles that the public want to buy and yet are also energy efficient. This can be done by taking advantage of transmission efficiency improvements, light weight materials, and other innovations such as kinetic energy recovery that work together to reduce net fuel consumption."
Examples
Examples of key innovations coming out of the motorsport sector include: -
Warwick University have developed and built Eco-One, a biodegradable sports car. Its bodywork is made from a bio-composite consisting of hemp matting and a resin made from plant oil. The vehicle’s tyres are Goodyear GT3s and use maize starch in their construction. The oil is made by Fuchs Lubricants and is totally biodegradable whilst the brake pads were made as part of Exeter University’s EcoPad project. The car can run on anything from 100% gasoline up to 85% bioethanol.
Eco-One is aiming to be 90-95% biodegradable or recyclable. The car is powered by an engine from a Triumph Daytona Motorcycle and does 0-62 mph in less than four seconds, and has a top speed of 125mph. Ben Wood, studying for his Engineering Doctorate at WMG, the global innovation specialists based at the University of Warwick, said: "Almost everything on the car can be made out of biodegradable or recyclable materials. If we can build a high-performance car that can virtually be grown from seed, just imagine what's possible for the average family car."
Flybrid Systems have developed a super lightweight high-speed hybrid flywheel Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) to meet the forthcoming regulations of Formula 1 in 2009. One team has already taken up the technology, which will be used in its car from 2009. Flywheel technology is not new in itself, however the key difference with the Flybrid device is the flywheel speed. Rotating at more than 60,000 Revolutions Per Minute (RPM) the flywheel can be very much smaller and lighter than has previously been possible and the gyroscopic forces are also reduced to a level that can be considered insignificant.
The key advantage of flywheel hybrids is the power that can be transmitted between the flywheel and the vehicle wheels. The power transmission is only limited by the capability of the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) and this capability is very impressive. Power is vitally important in a racing car but in fact it is also very important in a road car. Even a mundane road car is capable of very high power transfer during braking and the key to hybrid system effectiveness is capturing as much of this normally wasted energy as possible.
This higher power makes it possible to store more energy during short braking periods dramatically increasing system effectiveness. The system is also very efficient with up to 70% of braking energy being returned to the wheels to drive the vehicle back up to speed. The device is readily recycled and relatively inexpensive to make as it can be made entirely from conventional materials. The Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) is also ‘a significant step towards acceptance of Torotrak PLC’s CVT technology for use in mainstream road cars to provide improvements in performance, fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions.’
Hertfordshire University researchers John Goddard and James Waters have developed and built a hydrogen-fuelled vehicle, the UH08H, as featured at the Low Carbon Demonstration event held during the 2007 Formula Student Competition. Sponsored by the Royal Society of Chemistry and aided by the university’s Sustainable Energy Technology Centre, the project was developed rapidly to meet challenging timescales. The hydrogen is manufactured using farm waste, which is put into an anaerobic container and the methane obtained from this is then burnt to generate electricity used to power an electrolyser that produces the hydrogen. Although put together in a short timeframe, the UH08H offers a fascinating insight into a potential long-term solution in the continual search for alternative fuels.
Oaktec, the Lancaster based engineering company, have led the development of Honda Hybrid cars for motorsport. The new Civic Hybrid has been provided by Honda UK for Oaktec’s development work. This comes in the wake of Oaktec’s unique and highly successful development of a Formula 1000 rally car based on the Honda Insight petrol electric hybrid. The Insight gained notoriety following its launch in 2005 for its unusual shape and near silence as it sped through the rally stages, and for its groundbreaking use of E85 bio-ethanol fuel in a stage rally car.
Honda UK is working with the team to build a competition version of the new Civic Hybrid, which is now under development at Oaktec headquarters in Lancashire. Initially the new Civic Hybrid will follow the lead of the Insight and compete in ultra low emission form, and retain its CVT automatic transmission. It will be built effectively to Group N specification and retain its 1338cc 4 cylinder engine boosted by a 20kw electric motor/generator. The Oaktec projects have continued to enjoy the support of EEMS, the Energy Efficient Motorsport programme funded by Motorsport Development UK.
For further press information, please contact Aidan Holloway at Lindsell Marketing, on:
Tel: 0207 402 0510
aidan@lindsellmarketing.com