Peugot wanting to race a hybrid at Le Mans

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Prometheus
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Peugot wanting to race a hybrid at Le Mans

Post by Prometheus » Tue Sep 16, 2008 1:21 pm

Having joined Audi in providing that diesels can dominate at Le Mans, Peugeot now wants to show that hybrids -- yes, hybrids -- can compete at the top tier of motor sports. The French automaker has unveiled a gas-electric racer it plans to run in next year's Le Mans series.

The 908 HDi FAP "Hy" made a few laps at Britain's famed Silverstone racetrack last weekend before the final round of the Le Mans series, running a kinetic energy recovery system similar to what we'll see in Formula 1 cars next year. The 908 "Hy" works a lot like a Prius on steroids, with a lithium-ion battery and an 80-horsepower electric motor that can propel the car on electricity alone or provide added power at high speed or during passing moves.

Peugeot says the car is ready to race, but the question remains whether it will be allowed to.

The Automobile Club de l'Ouest -- which sets the rules governing the Le Mans series -- has announced a slew of rule changes meant to eliminate the advantages diesels have enjoyed over gasoline racers, but it's done nothing to allow hybrids onto the grid for 2009. But Peugeot will not be deterred and, according to Britain's Car magazine, says it'll run the 908 Hy as a "Double-Oh" non-competitor so it can continue developing the technology.
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Heppy
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Re: Peugot wanting to race a hybrid at Le Mans

Post by Heppy » Tue Sep 16, 2008 4:55 pm

Thats awesome.

Can see them doing really well, regaining all the lost energy of braking.
Also as a general rule an electric motor of the same power output of a gasoline engine has about 2-3 times more torque.
I say chuck away the gas engine totally and fill the car with those new fan dangled super capacitors, apparently they are many many times better than lithium ion batteries.
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Re: Peugot wanting to race a hybrid at Le Mans

Post by Riven » Wed Sep 17, 2008 11:28 am

Heh, bout time the diesels stopped getting an unfair advantage.

They are allowed to run lighter total weight, and also are allowed bigger fuel tanks. This combined over a 24hr period equates to about 4-5 less fuel stops @ about 1-1.5mins each stop, thats about 2 laps worth of time saved all up.

There were other advantages they had in the rules also, but I dont recall those... No wonder the diesels are dominating...

Lets see how they go next year! Although with the big advantage in the rules the major manufacturers havent built a petrol/gasoline powered LMP for a number of years now.

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