STEAM CORNERS, Ohio — IndyCar ushered in its new era of racing Friday at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course as every car on the track now includes a hybrid power unit that brings electrification to the high-speed racing series.
The bulk of the horsepower will still be produced by the internal combustion engine, but after tens of thousands of miles in testing, Honda, Chevrolet and IndyCar will have its first race with the hybrid unit in Sunday’s Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio.
“I think it’s something that had to happen,” Team Penske driver Scott McLaughlin told SPEED SPORT Friday morning. “Hopefully it will draw some new manufacturers to the sport, but I think it’s an exciting time.
“I think for Honda and Chevy both to collaborate was fantastic and very innovative for the sport, so I’m excited to be a part of this new era.
“I was excited to drive an old Indy car and now I’m excited to drive a new one and hopefully in the future and be pretty strong just as that.”
Honda helped develop the ultracapacitor Energy Storage System (ESS) and Chevrolet/Ilmor helped develop the Motor Generator Unite (MGU). Ilmor will assemble and distribute the combined package to the IndyCar Series teams.
With the automotive industry moving toward electrification of some type, many motorsports series around the world have already taken the giant leap toward that technology. Formula E has become the world’s leader in an all-electric powerplant in racing. World Endurance Challenge (WEC) and IMSA have already moved into the hybrid era, combining electrification with the internal combustion engine to get the best of both in extreme motorsports competition.
NASCAR continues to rely on the ICE, but there are discussions for a future that includes hybrid technology.
The combination of hybrid assist and push-to-pass will create a combined 120 additional horsepower for each driver.
According to information provided by IndyCar, both components of the hybrid power unit will fit inside the bellhousing – the size of a milk crate – located between the internal combustion engine and the gearbox.
During regeneration, acting on the clutch shaft, the MGU builds power to be stored in the ESS. The additional horsepower is deployed through the same motor generator on driver demand, according to IndyCar.
Teams and drivers can use regen options that include automatic through braking or throttle position or manually through selected steering wheel paddles or buttons.
Deployment is only available through a latching button similar to the existing push-to-pass system.
Hybrid assist will be added to the options of traditional push to pass on road and street courses but cannot be used at the same time on ovals.
Using both at the same time will give drivers and cars a boost of over 120 horsepower.
It will be the first time an IndyCar engine has produced more than 800 hp in two decades.
Additional horsepower is expected in the coming years as hybrid unit development evolves, according to IndyCar.
A safety advantage of the new unit is if a car stalls on a road or street circuit, the driver can quickly restart the car using the hybrid and continue without the need for the AMR IndyCar Safety Team to be deployed.
IndyCar did that on Friday when it announced before practice the limit was being increased from 280 kilojoules (kj) to 310 kj. That means more electric charge to the unit and that translates to potentially more horsepower.
According to IndyCar, it will monitor and may adjust these limits up or down based on practice results.