Formula EHR - The Rules

As with any sporting endeavour - there must be rules - or the whole thing just gets boring and then worse - it gets forgotten or written off as something of little note or useful to many.

So...Following are a list of "Rules & Guidelines" that i would look at implementing into my Electric/Hybrid race series.
This is by no means an extensive list of rules - and could be considered a work in progress...but its a start...
If you have some rule suggestions - please let me know

1. Initially car chassis to be based on a single seat, open wheel configuration with Aerodynamic designs to feature.
2. All Cars must be powered by and Electric/Hybrid engine/generator
2a. There maybe different classes with different power output limits - but the open wheel "hi end" of the sport could all be limited to a maximum power output per lap/race.
3. Technical partners in all teams would be free to exploit the different forms of EH systems currently available - like solar, hydrogen cell, KERS and petrol/electric and encouraged to take these technologies to the next level - through investment from partner teams, energy producers and universities around the world.

4. Battery manufacturers could be encouraged and offered incentives (by the FIA?) to develop a fast charge, low weight mass production power storage system in-conjunction with car manufacturers and teams.
4a. Universities may choose to focus on one or a number of the technical areas - but perhaps they would be better left to designing the power generation systems with teams.

5. Energy companies - currently responsible for providing the worlds ability to switch on a light or cook on the electric stove would/should be encouraged to join in supporting teams and universities by providing development funding for electric/hybrid transportation. They will, after all, reap the benefits when mass production begins. Tell me what energy company would not like to be the new SHELL or BP in the future?
And become that by demonstrating now - their commitment to the environment and the future of world "mobility" as the FIA like to call it....by standing at the forefront of this kind of series.

6. By discussion - events could be varied and provide a number of tests for the vehicles to undertake each race weekend.
These could include things like: A normal race over a set amount of laps, Acceleration and braking tests. For technical boffins: A test/measurement of the kilowatt output of each teams entry over a given test - vs - the drain/recovery time of on board power systems over the same period. In this way - we will see who is generating the most amount of power with the least effort as well as how much of that generated power is lost and recovered under testing conditions.

7. Testing.... The more i think about it... the more i believe that certain tests need to be done using cars that are/will be available on the market now or in the future.

A battery will only perform to its best depending on the load conditions it is placed under.
That is to say - the Electric/hybrid/Battery (EHB) power system in an open wheel style race vehicle - will perform differently to a Toyota Prius around the same track, no matter how tricked up the engine is.

They will use different amounts of power...and the "load" will be placed on the batteries for different amounts of time changing the performance considerably - one presumes.

One has to presume because very little comparison testing has been done between the Toyota F1 car and a Toyota Prius - towing a caravan.

But you get the point.

The same can be said of the performance difference you could expect from the same EHB power source if it was expected to not only push/pull a 5 seater passenger car, but also haul a tandem trailer with all the occupants bags on it. They need the trailer because the boot if full of batteries!

8. Length and Width Rules.
Ideally - when you build an open wheel single seater race car - you want your centre of gravity as low as possible. Like floor pan low. You also want as wide a "track" or width on the vehicle as possible because it allows you to lower the centre of gravity even more - while increasing stability on the road.

Clearly - we dont want to re-design vehicles so that they will not fit on current, generally accepted road widths. It will be difficult to enlist government support in a car building program that build cars that are too wide for the existing road systems and they have to spend billions to make them wider. So....that leaves height and length of vehicle.

The 2010 F1 season will feature few rule changes - a major one being that teams will not be allowed to refuel their cars during a race. This means BIGGER fuel tanks.
What have the designers done?
Lengthened the cars to accommodate the large fuel cell required.

Maybe EHB cars could do the same?...... after all... i get 4 good days out of my lithium ion mobile phone battery - and its as thin as 3 credit cards sandwiched together and half the size of a packet of matches!

Lets wire 10,000 of them up, put them in the now un-used Toyota F1 car and see how far it goes and at what speed.

I think NOKIA or SONY ERICKSON might like that idea.....better still - with a Sth Korean GP on the way in 2011 - maybe SAMSUNG would like to sponsor the development of Lithium ion EHB power generation systems and OWN the series?
I am open to partnership offers LOL

Enough rules for now - and certainly NOT enough coffee to go on.
If you have thoughts i would LOVE to hear them.

Come back soon, bring friends and a battery