IndyCar has recently indicated that it will switch to hybrid race cars beginning in 2022. The new cars will feature both internal combustion engines created by Honda and Chevrolet, as well as an electric motor. Both of the engines will combine to produce a total of 900 horsepower, which will be more powerful than current IndyCar models that produce between 500-700 horsepower. The hybrid race cars will also have a multiphase motor as well as an electric storage system that can recover lost energy created by activating the car's brakes.
Using Hybrid technology in the cars will also allow drivers to restart a vehicle, where previously manual electric starters had to be implemented.
IndyCar has stated that it wishes to be a fast and authentic racing league and that incorporating hybrid technologies will not prevent IndyCar from doing so.
Image Credit: IndyCar
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Hybrid Racing Cars
- The development of hybrid racing cars is a disruptive innovation opportunity that can change the motorsports industry landscape.
- Energy Recovery System
- The use of energy recovery systems in hybrid cars presents a disruptive innovation opportunity for the automotive industry to reduce fuel consumption and decrease emissions.
- Electric and Combustion Engines
- The trend towards combining electric and combustion engines in cars can disrupt both the automotive and electronics industries by changing traditional perceptions of car performance and design.
Sectors Adopting This
- Motorsports
- Using hybrid technologies in IndyCar and other racing leagues creates disruptive innovation opportunities that can revolutionize the motorsports industry and showcase new technologies.
- Automotive
- The hybrid systems developed for racing can be used to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions in consumer cars, presenting a disruptive innovation opportunity for the automotive industry.
- Electronics
- The trend towards integrating electronic components in vehicles presents disruptive innovation opportunities for the electronic industry, as they play a more important role in the design of hybrid cars.
