Speaking of gas prices (and tree huggers)…
“Formula One going hybrid”
Maybe this should have it’s own thread called “Signs That The World Is Ending”
WAT?
link!
^Check snopes:P
I saw it on SPEED last weekend, early Sunday morning.
I thought maybe I wasn’t really awake yet but, it’s true.
They have already been testing.
They talked about an explosion(battery?) with one race team.:gotme:
Maybe instead of gasoline alley it will be wind mill alley.:biglaugh:
I’ll be damned
I am telling you it is a sign!:tinfoilhat:
from the link…
It’s not quite the same type of hybrid drive-train you’d see in street vehicles, but in an exciting announcement, Max Mosely of F1 has announced that all cars will become hybrid by 2013, along with other changes to the vehicles.
Uhh…
Discuss
Explanation of KERS system:
The biggest difference between KERS and a regular battery-electric hybrid is that KERS stores recovered waste energy in a rotating flywheel. Instead of converting waste energy into electricity and than back into useful energy again with an electric motor, KERS simply transfers the kinetic energy to a ~5kg flywheel in the F1 car’s transmission. The energy stored in the flywheel can then be used by the driver by pushing a “boost” button.
Some of the teams didn’t seem to agree that it was an “exciting announcement”.
I haven’t really kept up on F1 since the God retired.
Has anyone else followed this hybrid story?
I can appreciate the intent of it, from a global & marketing approach…
but F1 is not exactly in the forfront of the media, or motorsports, or culture even. If they were the #1 motorsport I could see it being an avenue for making the “Green Statement”…
That, and I don’t necessarily like the idea of a “boost” button.
Agreed, however F1 is the absolute pinnacle of automotive technology. It’s starts there, and filters down. Just watch. Sooner or later, Indy will follow suit, and so on…
True. F1 tech has always been trickle down, like DARPA.
I don’t have anything against regenrative energy transfer… I just wonder if it’s necessary to add more to the cars. 6 in one hand 1/2 dozen in the other.
That… and IMO “boost” or power on demand @ random would add WAY too much to the strategizing.
F1 is at the forefront globally, just not here in the US of A.
KERS can be various types of stored energy like flywheel, batteries or capacitors. The goal is to generate power, store it and unleash up to 400kJ each lap for whatever purpose. The thing is that you can’t use more than 60kJ output at any moment so you have at least 6 seconds of power available. Its interesting stuff.
Probably the same way Soccer is huge everywhere but here.
USA is it’s own little fucked up world.
well, honestly… whats cooler, football (real football :D) or soccer?
zackly lol
I remember soccer doing ok here when I was a kid, but as a child the world is a different place
Yeah I honestly like football more now. My family lives for soccer so it was a huge part of growing up for me, but I get excited as fuck for NFL season.
It’s not Hybrid, it’s just the KERS system, and 7 out of 10 teams have said they will voluntarily delay it’s implimentation as there is no rule saying they have to use it.
Yes thats true. Didn’t mean to imply otherwise.
The article mentions a flywheel based system. It is def interesting stuff… I just don’t like the idea of 6 seconds of GOFASTERBUTTON in a form of racing that has put so much time, effort, & money into leveling the playing field. I don’t mean to overdramatize it - just trying to make the point. 
Ahh good to know. :tup:
It is hybrid.
Maybe not Prius hybrid but is hybrid.
thank god you guys corrected the “F1 not #1”…
jeez… i dont even follow F1, but i sure as hell know that every other form of racing is meaningless by comparison.