FIA working towards electric car championship

[vcs316]

FIA president Jean Todt has said he is working with the European Commission towards the establishment of a championship for electric cars, with the possibility of a Formula One-style series held at the major circuits.

Speaking to the Financial Times, Todt said he had set up an electric-car commission unit within the FIA, headed by Burkhard Goeschel, a former BMW director. He said that if all went well, the series could start as early as 2013.

"We want as soon as possible to have new categories with new energy," Todt told the newspaper. "As much as we can do it all over the world, we will do it."

He admitted frustration with the reluctance to embrace new technology. "The racing community are only interested in how to improve performance because they want to win," he said. "[Manufacturers] feel a strong interest to implement the technologies … which are not so obvious for the sporting community because it costs money and research and it doesn't improve performance, and I understand that."

"One of the priorities of my mandate is to give a concrete start to the ultimate conversion of the European car industry," Antonio Tajani, the EU's industry commissioner told the newspaper. He added he hoped the initiative would help promote consumer interest in electric vehicles.

© ESPN EMEA Ltd.

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Start a new championship, but pls pls leave Formula1 alone!!!!

[LeonKennedy]

To be honest, I find it really exciting.

It's like the start of a new era, like when F1 started, everything new and lots of developments. I like it!

Shame about the noise... but who knows, maybe in the future a 760hp electric engine will make lots of noise? Fffffffffzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzsssssshhhhhhhhh!!!!!! :D

[elekvault]

I'm all in for it. A new electric bikes championship was scheduled to begin this year I think, and it's only logical that cars do the same thing. Of course the noise will be a thing to be missed, but we already have almost every other motorsport for a fair amount of brooooom! :)

Plus, a category like that with low noise and no pollution would be ideal to be run on street circuits, IMO.

[Hornet]

Good, at least this will ensure that electric stays out of F1
If it turns out to be a big success, maybe all the green advocates will stop bugging F1 and take all the green tech over there.

[Rosso Corsa]

"A concrete start"? Is that to reduce flexing?

[Agron]

Good, at least this will ensure that electric stays out of F1
If it turns out to be a big success, maybe all the green advocates will stop bugging F1 and take all the green tech over there.

The world is moving towards the electric car, not only because gas engines produce residues, but more importantly the amount of petrol in the world is limited and when China, India, ... start consuming as much as in Europe, there won't be enough for everyone. Plus some of the biggest world reserves are in politically unstable countries, which gives some corrupt, sometimes fanatical dictatorships a power over the world nobody wants them to have. That all makes the teoretically more expensive electric car a far better future solution if risks to the supply of gas are considered.
In the long term, F1 will either go extint or go electric, so if they are creating a new cathegory of electric cars the future of F1 in 50 years looks quite problematic, although they can always merge both championships, who knows.

IMO, electric vehicles may not sound as awesome (they can be very loud though) but feel more powerful, and they give everything they got from the first milisecond.

[scuderiafan]

Now lets keep F1 the way it is. no hybrid nonsense

[Tony]

The world is moving towards the electric car, not only because gas engines produce residues, but more importantly the amount of petrol in the world is limited and when China, India, ... start consuming as much as in Europe, there won't be enough for everyone. Plus some of the biggest world reserves are in politically unstable countries, which gives some corrupt, sometimes fanatical dictatorships a power over the world nobody wants them to have. That all makes the teoretically more expensive electric car a far better future solution if risks to the supply of gas are considered.
In the long term, F1 will either go extint or go electric, so if they are creating a new cathegory of electric cars the future of F1 in 50 years looks quite problematic, although they can always merge both championships, who knows.

IMO, electric vehicles may not sound as awesome (they can be very loud though) but feel more powerful, and they give everything they got from the first milisecond.

Unfortunately, due to the fact that oil producing companies own significant interests in car manufacturers, they are also involved in the selection of management and as such, they will continue to select senior management that has interests in line with theirs....

[xpman]

Great I lov the Idear but the car must look great like this !!!

The Only realy problem I see is the Start when on grid and Millions of people HEAR NOUGHING hahahaha and the the race again coz No sound on the track fans feel bit ... is going to rock concert with no sound haha.

[Rob]

The world is moving towards the electric car, not only because gas engines produce residues, but more importantly the amount of petrol in the world is limited and when China, India, ... start consuming as much as in Europe, there won't be enough for everyone. Plus some of the biggest world reserves are in politically unstable countries, which gives some corrupt, sometimes fanatical dictatorships a power over the world nobody wants them to have. That all makes the teoretically more expensive electric car a far better future solution if risks to the supply of gas are considered.
In the long term, F1 will either go extint or go electric, so if they are creating a new cathegory of electric cars the future of F1 in 50 years looks quite problematic, although they can always merge both championships, who knows.

IMO, electric vehicles may not sound as awesome (they can be very loud though) but feel more powerful, and they give everything they got from the first milisecond.

or start looking at E85 Bio-Fuel. Its the 2nd generation bio-fuel. Made from bio waste. Lord Drayson was using in the ALMS and so was the Corvettes. The ALMS and LMS has another championship in the series. Its the Michelin Green X challenge. The team that can use the least fuel but cover the most mileage wins. Second generation Bio-Fuel should be used alot more, in motorsport and for road cars.

[racingbradley]

Good, at least this will ensure that electric stays out of F1
If it turns out to be a big success, maybe all the green advocates will stop bugging F1 and take all the green tech over there.

+1

[REDARMYSOJA]

Good, at least this will ensure that electric stays out of F1
If it turns out to be a big success, maybe all the green advocates will stop bugging F1 and take all the green tech over there.

Agreed. Maybe the treehuggers will take their toys and play elsewhere leaving the real racing alone.

[steelstallions]

What a crock of _____, are the planes, ships,transporters etc that deliver the equipment around the world to the venues going to use electric power to get there?
Will the super rich fans in private yachts and planes cycle to the next event.

Just lets see racing and get off this flaming eco bandwagon. Its mostly a crock, like that pathetic start stop rubbish that's more annoying than planet saving.

[GrndLkNatv]

Hasn't Scalectrix, Tyco and AFX already had this for years? Your local hobby store for sure does!

FIA president Jean Todt has said he is working with the European Commission towards the establishment of a championship for electric cars, with the possibility of a Formula One-style series held at the major circuits.

Speaking to the Financial Times, Todt said he had set up an electric-car commission unit within the FIA, headed by Burkhard Goeschel, a former BMW director. He said that if all went well, the series could start as early as 2013.

"We want as soon as possible to have new categories with new energy," Todt told the newspaper. "As much as we can do it all over the world, we will do it."

He admitted frustration with the reluctance to embrace new technology. "The racing community are only interested in how to improve performance because they want to win," he said. "[Manufacturers] feel a strong interest to implement the technologies … which are not so obvious for the sporting community because it costs money and research and it doesn't improve performance, and I understand that."

"One of the priorities of my mandate is to give a concrete start to the ultimate conversion of the European car industry," Antonio Tajani, the EU's industry commissioner told the newspaper. He added he hoped the initiative would help promote consumer interest in electric vehicles.

© ESPN EMEA Ltd.

------------------

Start a new championship, but pls pls leave Formula1 alone!!!!

[Tifoso]

Good, at least this will ensure that electric stays out of F1
If it turns out to be a big success, maybe all the green advocates will stop bugging F1 and take all the green tech over there.

Exactly

[Tifoso]

Great I lov the Idear but the car must look great like this !!!

The Only realy problem I see is the Start when on grid and Millions of people HEAR NOUGHING hahahaha and the the race again coz No sound on the track fans feel bit ... is going to rock concert with no sound haha.

Really really cool. And a top speed of 48mph is just blindingly fast.


And the new high tech, long lasting batteries will allow for GP's of 6 maybe even 7 laps.

[Richred]

change the batteries in green 3.8 s

[NJB13]

Good, at least this will ensure that electric stays out of F1
If it turns out to be a big success, maybe all the green advocates will stop bugging F1 and take all the green tech over there.

Spot on

[NJB13]

The world is moving towards the electric car, not only because gas engines produce residues, but more importantly the amount of petrol in the world is limited and when China, India, ... start consuming as much as in Europe, there won't be enough for everyone. Plus some of the biggest world reserves are in politically unstable countries, which gives some corrupt, sometimes fanatical dictatorships a power over the world nobody wants them to have. That all makes the teoretically more expensive electric car a far better future solution if risks to the supply of gas are considered.
In the long term, F1 will either go extint or go electric, so if they are creating a new cathegory of electric cars the future of F1 in 50 years looks quite problematic, although they can always merge both championships, who knows.

IMO, electric vehicles may not sound as awesome (they can be very loud though) but feel more powerful, and they give everything they got from the first milisecond.

Brilliant, we exchange petrol (still a commodity in plentiful supply) for the rare-earths (needed to build the batteries electric cars run on) which are already an incredibly rare commodity mined and available from only one totalitarian country (China), which subjects the miners/workers to labor conditions you might have found elsewhere in the 18th century.

Greenies - do the earth a favour and plough as many of them into it as quickly as possible

[Agron]

Brilliant, we exchange petrol (still a commodity in plentiful supply) for the rare-earths (needed to build the batteries electric cars run on) which are already an incredibly rare commodity mined and available from only one totalitarian country (China), which subjects the miners/workers to labor conditions you might have found elsewhere in the 18th century.

Greenies - do the earth a favour and plough as many of them into it as quickly as possible

Indeed, but EU and USA have made it clear they will be switching to electric cars in the next 50 years, so there's no turning back really. Maybe the technology for building batteries will evolve and start using more common elements or very different approachs, it's not like it's the first time it has happened as science progressed and there was money in it.

[Ken]

When Jean Todt was at Ferrari he had common sense and knew what appealed to racing fans, When did he get a lobotomy ???

This green racing thing hes trying for is unachievable, What about the fossil fuels burned to supply the electricity ?, and the disposal of those expensive and highly poisonous batteries.

Would he insist that every circuit had a form of renewable energy generation ??

Its crazy

[NJB13]

When did he get a lobotomy ???

I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy