SCOOP! HYBRID PUSH FOR NEXT-GEN SUPERCARS

PETROL-ELECTRIC HYBRID engines running alongside the traditional V8s are being seriously considered for the next generation of Supercars from 2022.

By MARK FOGARTY

The shock possibility of electric assistance is revealed in the latest issue of Auto Action, on sale today (Thursday, May 17).

Battery boosted powerplants using regenerated braking energy are among the options for the next major revamp of the technical and eligibility rules, dubbed Gen3.

A working group headed by Supercars marketing consultant and Bathurst 12 Hour race director John Casey is looking at an evolution of the existing regulations to increase the category’s appeal to manufacturers and cut costs.

AA has learned that the main thrust of the Gen3 study is weighing the practicality of adapting hybrid technology to Supercars.

Casey’s technical task force is considering a set-up similar to the Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) used in Formula 1 from 2009-2013.

Encouraging hybrids could make Supercars attractive to manufacturers like Toyota and Audi, which have staked their futures on petrol-electric hybrid propulsion as a practical bridge to full battery electrification and hydrogen fuel cells.

The accompanying computer-generated rendering is based on a Toyota Camry Hybrid, but it is not meant to suggest Australia’s top-selling make is considering an involvement in Supercars.

However, opening the series to KERS-style racing hybrid powertrains could finally interest Toyota Australia, the largest seller of petrol-electric hybrid cars across the Prius, Corolla and Camry ranges.

Toyota has rejected various internal and external proposals to compete in Supercars with a factory-backed V8-powered racer for nearly two decades.

Supercars has been pondering the evolution of the current Next Generation/Gen2 rules since early 2016, when the Gen3 initiative was first revealed in broad terms by AA.

The existing technical and eligibility regulations are fixed until the end of 2021.

The full story on how Supercars could open the way for hybrid-powered racers in the near future is in the new issue of Auto Action, out now.

Also make sure you follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or our weekly email newsletter for all the latest updates between issues.