Plug ins to Invade World Rallying

This is the Statt Mann Baby. Time to Scatt a little bit.

Hyundai, M-Sport Ford and Toyota say they’re all in next year when the World Rally Championship embraces hybrid technology.

The three-year program means the top tier cars will mix an electric motor and the current combustion engine. The cars will be heavier but the extra 150 horsepower should offset that weight.

All that makes sense. Automakers want you and I in their showrooms to buy their technology and not just look at the pretty posters of cars winning trophies.

The recent announcement indicates these will be plug in hybrids dependent on power stations in the service areas. Performance in the stages could be insane with emissions in the transits drastically improved. A win-win.

To me, the best part of this is seeing the racing program move to R&D budgets. Racing was important when automakers twisted wrenches to improve their product lines.

Racing doesn’t make long term sense when all it’s doing is selling energy drinks and home loans.

Peace.