With the steady proliferation of hybrids all over the world, can the arena of motor racing be far behind, specially with manufacturers like GM, Ford, Toyota, BMW, Mercedes and Porsche coming out with hybrid production cars? That question has been answered by no other than Porsche, with its 911 GT3 R Hybrid. Introduced last year, this hybrid race car has proven itself to be very competitive and would in fact have won a 24-hour race had another part of the car not broken down after 23 hours.
The Porsche hybrid racer has a conventional 480 horsepower flat six at the back but the front axles are each driven by a 60 kW electric motor. Instead of batteries, the regenerative braking system charges an electrical flywheel power generator placed beside the driver. The power generator can be recharged in one long and hard braking maneuver (e.g. cornering) and when the road opens up into a straight, a paddle on the steering wheel releases the stored energy to the front wheels.
Depending on racing conditions, the hybrid drive is used not only for extra power but also for fuel savings. This increases the efficiency and performance of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid and it is calculated to be able to reduce the weight of fuel in the tank or make less pitstops, prolonging time on the track. With the success of its introduction to the racing world, it will only be a matter of time before hybrid racers become a fact of life in the motorsports world and in everyday life.
See the Porsche Hybrid racer in action here.
Original article can be found here.
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