Could Montreal replace its Grand Prix with an electric car endurance race?
As a reward for its great efforts to unfailingly host a successful Formula 1 Grand Prix in a world class venue year after year, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) has decided to stop bringing its high-horsepower racing show to Montreal. Citizens of this ultra-cool city, who gathered in small cafes by their thousands early Sunday mornings to follow the seasons proceedings, are not impressed. In fact, they're pissed. But instead of rioting in the streets (that's reserved for hockey), some are looking beyond the paradigm of racing gas-powered polluters towards "l'auto de demain," (the car of tomorrow). And what would power that car? The electricity that Quebec has in abundance from it many existing dams, of course.
Respected auto journalist Jacques Duval, who has experienced the Daytona 500 from behind the steering wheel, in his blog for GuideAuto.com suggests that the city should sponsor a 6-hour electric car endurance race in lieu of the noisy Grand Prix. He posits that the city could offer up a $1 million prize to lure electric car makers, such as the native Zenn or perhaps someone like Tesla, to submit an entry. We can think of a few others off the top of our heads who might show an interest in competing in a profile-raising event marketed as the "avant-garde" of racing formats. Venturi, for instance already has a history in racing, and newcomer to British Hillclimbing competition, Bee Automobile, has a car that already looks the part (above). Going by the enthusiastic comments from some of his readers, this idea could possibly gain traction in the real world. Do ABG readers agree? Let us know, mes amis.
{Source: GuideAuto.com]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Lad 12:16AM (11/03/2008)
Interesting logistics; six hours of battery power for about 20 carbon fiber cars running all out...lots of battery charging and swapping and blown electric motors, burning wire, smoking controllers, lots of shocking and shorting, etc. I like the idea and hope it's the start of a new racing series. IMHO, F1 is obsolete and hasn't kept up with the technology.
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Scatter 10:36AM (11/03/2008)
Would battery swaps definitely be needed? I think probably yes but what proportion of energy can the best supercaps recover and how low could energy consumption in these vehicles be dropped?
Thinking about it I'd probably favour quick charge rather than swaps so as to boost that technology.
Lad 1:08PM (11/03/2008)
I think we still have a ways to go on fast charge and super caps. In fact there is still a lot more time needed to perfect Li Ion batteries. As you know there are a multitude of cathode and anode chemistry's, as well as super caps, still being developed and tested in the labs.
However, have said that, Tesla has proven its drive line will work very well for the road and recently one of their cars ran the quarter mile in 11.7 seconds at Sears Point and that's good acceleration for a track car. So with good planning and the right modification, I think the Tesla would make a fairly fast track car. And, you know there are guys working in their garages as you read this, just waiting to prove electric race cars are the future. The only down side I think is the quietness of the cars.
If the sponsors can offer decent price money and good PR pointing to the performance of the cars, I think they should be able to make it work.
Tony Belding 7:56AM (11/03/2008)
I'm all for it, I'd love to see this happen.
Whatever they do shouldn't be forced into the mold of existing races. Let it be its own thing, a purpose-designed electric car race.
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Graham Mewburn 6:35AM (11/03/2008)
get the British 'Lightning' to join the race, Wow!
Cheers
Gray
Graham Mewburn
Australia
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Diffrunt 7:30AM (11/03/2008)
I,m for anything electric, but I want mine to include the
Nikoli Tesla power receiver.
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MikeInNC 7:58AM (11/03/2008)
I love it plus, it will be something that North Americans can actually attend on our own continent (unlike F1).
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jeff 8:53AM (11/03/2008)
Hell yeah that'd be awesome.
I'm at McGill where we've got a little series hybrid FSAE racer. It's won the Formula Hybrid competition a couple times, but I don't think it would do too well on an F1 track. A high profile race like this could definitely help bring in some sponsors to step it up a couple notches though!
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Kevin 10:06AM (11/03/2008)
Hell, why not? We've already got an Alterntaive Energy auto rally in this province, which just had it's second running last month, so why not go ahead and promote high performance EV racing? I'd pay to watch that!
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Eric 12:22PM (11/03/2008)
Willing to pay $400? - which was the Grand Prix ticket price.
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ZzZzZz 2:22PM (11/03/2008)
First off, Bernie Ecclestone is playing hardball. He's now set this upcoming Friday as the final deadline for negotiations for an '09 F1 race. A lot of additional money has been pledged by various Canadian governments. If a major corporate sponsor is found and confirmed by then, the race should be back on.
Business wise, I don't think the proposal here is realistic. There is stand alone electric racing and it doesn't draw fans. The proposal is "build it and they will come". The author massively understates the cost of this event - it's a lot more than a little prize money.
Realistically, if this event falls through, expect to see Indy Cars or the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) as a replacement.
Recently, several major sanctioning bodies been showing interest in green technology. F1 says they want to be a test bed for the street cars of tomorrow. They are instituting regenerative braking next year, as a first step. Indy Car has been playing lip service, mostly, but they are currently negotiating with manufacturers over the next rules package.
A series as proposed above would take a few years to be ready for prime time. I think the real hope would be to work with the ALMS and the ACO (who run the 24 hours of Le Mans and set the rules ALMS use), in two ways. Firstly, they are very open to green/alternative technologies in their series. Different engines, fuels, etc. racing head-to-head. They work out an equivalency formula, so you can be competitive within your class. Next year, a hybrid car will debut in their top class, and they fully expect to be competitive after working out the kinks. So, why not strive to beat them at their own game, on their tracks, at their events, in front of their fans? Isn't that what Tesla is doing on the street? Why not get a Tesla in ALMS in '09? (In the GT1 class.) And why not strive to develop a racer for their top class (P1) for 2010?
The second way to work with ALMS would be an all electric support series to share some of their events. Also, manufacturers set up pavilions at these event to show off their new cars and technologies. Companies like Tesla should be there. ALMS fans are tech geeks.
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Domenick Yoney 2:48PM (11/03/2008)
Quite a cogent comment. Sounds if you've put a lot of thought into this, ZzZzZz (if that is your real name).
I am unaware of any "stand alone electric racing" though. Care to enlighten us?
ZzZzZz 3:52PM (11/03/2008)
Domenick, my knowledge is more of conventional racing, so I don't know much (hopefully someone else will chime in). But I know of a big national event in Phoenix that's been going on for over a decade, for example. But that's a niche event, preaching to the converted.
Get an electric car into the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and you have the world's attention. That's the Super Bowl of sports car racing (except, on the world scale it's much bigger than the Super Bowl).
I think the timing is right for electric and other green tech to go mainstream. The manufacturers know it. The sanctioning bodies know it. It's a matter of pushing in the right way, of someone taking the first step.
With some of these technologies, it really is a matter of someone taking the first step. Carbon fiber chassis, for example, produced in large scale will actually cost significantly less to produce. Imagine: When someone finally comes out with a less expensive car, just as safe, with double the mileage (by virtue of half the weight), every other mfg. will have to switch over or be out of business. Sell the public on the concepts, create excitement, create demand, and the mfgs. will have to stop dragging their feet.
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Rif 5:53PM (11/03/2008)
I have been to a F1 years ago in Montreal, it is a great track and a nice country to travel in.
If they do an electrical race in Montreal, I hope the Eliica will participate as well. With 370 km/h on the straights, this 8 wheel limo will overtake them all.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eliica
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Sebastian 1:05AM (11/08/2008)
I'm all for it.
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Will 7:23AM (11/08/2008)
An all electric car endurance race would be boring without the roaring of engines. But if electric grand prix that is not hurting the environment, I'm all game.
http://www.cbelectriccar.com/blog
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Scott Allison 2:48PM (1/06/2009)
I want to invite Jacques Duval to be the grand Marshall for what I hope to be that race he wanted to see in Canada.
I am working with the city of Portland Oregon and hopefully the PDXGP will be the first all electric GP in the world! So anyone interested in racing please let me know!! We plan to have an electric Vehicle Expo too!
I say let them eat volts!!!
I will post again!!
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