FIA RESPONDS POSITIVELY TO THE EEMS-SUPPORTED OAKTEC HYBRID RALLY CARPROJECT

Paul Andrews and Bill Meeson, partners in the EEMS-supported Oaktec HondaInsight E85 hybrid rally car project, were delighted with the positiveresponse and possibility of future co-operation when they presented theirproject to the FIA¹s Alternative Energies Commission in Paris last week.The FIA represents the interests of motoring organisations throughout theworld, and is also the governing body of worldwide motorsport. One of theFIA¹s tasks in shaping the car of the future is to encourage governments todeploy the technologies that will make cars safer, cleaner and more reliablethan before. The EEMS (Energy Efficient Motorsport) initiative promotes theUK motorsport industry and its engineering resource, creating newopportunities through the use of alternative fuels and development ofenergy-efficient competition.The Honda Insight has the lowest emissions of any production car at 85g/km,further improved by Oaktec¹s conversion to run on E85 biofuel blend.Oaktec¹s specially developed Honda Insight won its class in the 2006 Formula1000 Rally Series, running against conventional non-hybrid petrol-fuelledcars. Oaktec is now working with the International Automotive ResearchCentre at Warwick University to unlock the performance potential ofrenewable fuels and technologies. In response to the interest of the FIA,Paul Andrews of Oaktec discussed the car¹s energy savings, the control ofthe regenerative system, energy storage ideas and the CV transmission.ŒWith questions the Commission spent over three times longer with us thanscheduled,¹ said Paul. ŒWe then continued over lunch and answered morequestions about future development plans. We are delighted that the FIA hasinvited us to take part in a series of prestigious Œgreen car¹ events aroundEurope during this year.¹Rob Oldaker and Janice Minton represented the EEMS initiative of the UKGovernment run through Motorsport Development UK, and discussed otherprojects in sustainable technology within UK motorsport, some of which alsoreceive EEMS support. The meeting proved an excellent opportunity toshowcase the capability within the UK to the FIA commission which includedten delegates from around the world.ŒWe would like to thank Oaktec and EEMS for their interesting presentationduring our meeting¹, said Bruno Moretti, President of the FIA AlternativeEnergies Commission. ŒWe feel that we not only share common goals but wehave a good possibility of co-operation in this field, which is certainly apart of the future of motorsport activity. We will be in touch about the FIAAlternative Energies Cup events, as well as discussing our own hybridvehicle work.¹