How about a quiet, fumeless car race? Two electric vehicle (EV) races will be held in California later this year -- one at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Northern California followed by another at California Speedway in Fontana.
If you are interested in a trip across the pond, the first race will be held August 6 in Silverstone, England followed by three more in England and one in Belgium. There will be three race classes: City EV, Sports EV, and Prototype EV. The City EV class is a single-make class, featuring Th!nk City cars modified for racing duty. The Th!nk City is a small two-seater or 2+2-seater EV produced by Think Global. The Sports EV class is limited to drivers experienced in open-cockpit racing, and is also a single-make event.
The Sports EV cars, known as iRacers, are provided by Westfield Sportscars; the vehicle is a purpose-built open-wheel racer, which features a Formula 1 style boost button for extra power during overtaking. The Prototype EV class is a mixed bag: non-production EVs are eligible, regardless of weight or power, competing in a time-trial format for lap time supremacy. The series are deemed to be an electric version of Group B racing—sans the homologation requirement. (Group B refers to a set of regulations introduced in 1982 for competition vehicles in sports car racing and rallying, which is regulated by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). Homologation refers to approval from an official authority.)
Race days will consist of a morning of qualifying followed by 20 to 30 minute-long races (the short duration is undoubtedly to battery capacity). The most interesting class will most likely be the most interesting because of its anything goes format. This class may serve as a testing lab, which will ultimately improve EVs. Many may not know that races such as the Indianapolis 500 are responsible for automotive improvements such as improved tires, mag wheels, and disc brakes.
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