Hyundai’s venture towards a more sustainable future through Electric Racing

Hyundai Motorsport is due to take part in the launch of PURE ETCR, the all-electric touring car championship that will begin later this year. With this championship, the transition to emissions-free mobility will increase drastically. 

The company is planning to take part in the PURE ETCR with the Veloster N ETCR, the company’s new all-electric high-performance touring vehicle. 

Following that, with the use of their influence in fuel cell technology, Hyundai has manufactured their hydrogen generator that will allow the charging of electric cars by converting green hydrogen into charging power. 

“Hyundai is undertaking huge efforts to develop sustainable mobility for a better world, and motorsport is not exempt from this goal. That’s why we are very excited to have the opportunity to build on our WRC and TCR success as part of the upcoming PURE ETCR,” says Andrea Adamo, Hyundai Motorsport Team Principal. “With our holistic approach, we are able to significantly reduce emissions in motorsport while ensuring the spectacular sport we know and love remains fun, for drivers and fans alike.”

Even though the company is significantly new to the playing field, it has already come so far. The Hyundai Motorsport team first debuted in 2012 when they managed the foundation of the Alzenau facility and the first development of its first rally car, the i20 WRC. 

Next to that, was the team’s first participation of the FIA World Rally Championship in 2014, which was followed by five successful seasons and the team’s first win in 2019. Not stopping there, the success of Hyundai Motorsports followed to 2020 with another win for the World Rally Championship. 

When competing in the WRC, the team uses the 120 Coupe WRC, while in the WTRC the team used the i30 N TCR which was based on Hyundai’s first high-performance production model, the i30 N.

Under the hood of the i20 Coupe WRC is a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine with direct injection that produces 380 hp with 450 Nm of torque and is connected to a six-speed sequential transmission. On top of that, the vehicle also offers a four-wheel drive. 

Due to the company’s vision to venture further into sustainability, Hyundai Motorsport is currently in the works of manufacturing a mild hybrid powertrain for the i20 WRC that is scheduled to be introduced in 2022, which will be the world’s first rally car with such technology.

As for the i30 N TCR, it is powered by a two-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder inline engine that produces 350 hp and 450 Nm of torque, connected to a six-speed sequential gearbox and offers a front-wheel drive, as well as a 100-litre fuel tank. 

Other than competing in championships with models based on road-going cars, the company also uses motorsport to test out new technology. That being said, Hyundai’s all-new i20 N is directly influenced by the i20 WRC vehicle with the same weight as the minimum requirement in WRC, as well as a similar roof-spoiler that enhances aerodynamics. 

Recently, Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing revealed an all-new car suited for privateer teams and drivers, the i20 N Rally2. The vehicle was inspired by the chassis of the all-new i20 N and features Hyundai’s new ‘Sensuous Sportiness’ identity which includes various elements of design relating to the world of motorsport. 

The Veloster N ETCR, built for the PURE ETCR championship was manufactured at its headquarters in Alzenau, Germany. Following the i30 N TCR and i20 N Rally2, this vehicle was also inspired by another; the Hyundai N car, the North American Veloster N model. 

In September 2019, the team began testing on the Veloster N ETCR with a prototype design which carried on expanding all through last year. The vehicle is a zero-emission, rear-wheel drive touring car with mid-mounted motors and designed specifically for ETCR regulations. 

It comes with a 798-volt battery pack from Williams Advanced Engineering located on the floor of the car and a double-wishbone rear suspension, with a chassis unlike any previous Hyundai Motorsport project. 

The Veloster NETCR’s is equipped with four motors (two per wheel) that is connected to a single gear ratio gearbox that produces up to 500 kW (680 PS) and a continuous power of 300 kW. 

Staying true to its sustainability cause, Hyundai will be offering its new hydrogen generator as a recharging system for electric vehicles. The generator will be equipped with the latest feature of emission-free electric charging and consists of two fuel cell stacks. 

The Hyundai Generator will start off with being filled up by tanks of compressed hydrogen, where the hydrogen will be exposed to oxygen inside the fuel cell stack which creates a chemical reaction that will generate energy. 

The energy generated will aid in charging the batteries of the electric touring cars, showing the public that even charging electric cars can come from sources that are sustainable and emission-free. 

Some of the noteworthy highlights of the generator include its high-speed charging capability as it is able to charge two EVs at the same time, as well as its reduced noise levels compared to a diesel generator. Not forgetting that the generator can also be used for other purposes that include festivals, construction sites, and also crisis situations.