The three participants of the World Rally Championship (WRC), Toyota, Hyundai and M-Sport Ford, have reached an agreement to start the hybrid era from next season, also committing to register and participate in the FIA world competition from 2022 to at least 2024.
Just as the hybrid era in Formula 1 began in 2014, now it is the turn of the rally, with a historic change, in which the participating cars will be using a combination of the usual combustion engines with electric motors.
Read also: TNO: If ships slow down, it would reduce emissions and improve the marine ecosystem
In 2019, it had been reported that the world rally was targeting hybrid cars, and specific regulations began to be made up and approved by the World Motor Council of the International Automobile Federation (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile, FIA).
Within the agreement reached, various aspects are included, such as having a contribution in equal parts from the FIA and the manufacturers for the development of new technologies, including sustainability and cost management.
Startup
As a starting point, offers have already been opened for suppliers of sustainable fuels and also for companies that will be in charge of providing the charging stations located in the service parks for plug-in hybrid vehicles.
Jona Siebel, WRC CEO, commented that the world rally remains the toughest championship in motorsport for production cars and the leadership of these three participating teams sends a positive message about its future to other manufacturers who are considering joining the category.
Speaking to the WRC page, Siebel said: “Along with the FIA and the manufacturers, WRC Promoter is fully committed to the introduction of greener cars. The hybrid powertrain forms an integral part of the automotive industry as the world moves towards a more sustainable future, and it is essential the WRC is aligned with this evolution.”
Written by I Jhonattan González
