Motorsports’ Influence on Hybrid Car Technology
Motorsports have always served as a proving ground for automotive innovation, and now, the technology developed for the racetrack is finding its way into everyday cars. Features we take for granted, such as disc brakes and fuel injection, originated in racing. Now, a major automotive supplier is transferring its expertise from the track to improve hybrid vehicles.
Bosch, a leading auto supplier, is using its experience in the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) SportsCar Championship to inform its development of hybrid technologies for consumer vehicles. The company currently provides hybrid power systems for the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class, which features some of the most high-performance cars in endurance races like the 24 Hours of Daytona and Le Mans.
Bosch equips teams from Cadillac, Lamborghini, Porsche, Acura, and BMW with the necessary components to transform their gasoline-powered vehicles into hybrids. Its components, including inverters, electronic braking systems, and hybrid control units, can add up to 230 horsepower. Bosch’s system has accumulated over 350,000 race miles and 650,000 combined race and testing miles.
“Every lap is an opportunity to propose a new improvement or extend the limit just a little bit further on the technology,” said Jacob Bergenske, Bosch Motorsport Director.
Mohammad Fatouraie, Bosch’s director of systems engineering, noted that the company is adapting race-proven hybrid systems for consumer cars. Bosch aims to be a holistic systems provider rather than a mere components supplier, enabling automakers to create more efficient, cost-effective hybrid systems. Working with the right components improves the efficiency of the entire system. The resulting cost savings can then be passed on to consumers, making hybrids more attractive.
At a time when some automakers are scaling back EV plans in favor of hybrids, this approach is well-timed. Honda, for example, expects its new hybrid Civic to account for approximately 40% of the model’s sales this year. Hybrid models currently make up a quarter of Honda’s total sales.
The shift towards hybrid technology comes as Porsche introduces a hybrid version of its 911 sports car, and some experts emphasize the potential of Extended Range Electric Vehicles (EREVs). Ford CEO Jim Farley pointed out EREVs, popular in China, can offer a solution with a long all-electric range and a combustion engine for longer trips, reducing range anxiety and battery costs.
