So, next weeks Waimate 50 (Fri-Sun 22-24 October 2021) is a significant event for the Paddon Rally Sport team and our project that we have sank many hours and money into over the past two-years. The competition debut of our Hyundai Kona EV rally car, in a competition environment up against combustion cars.
While no stand alone class yet for EV cars, it will be eligible for overall results – the beauty of NZ ClubSport events is that you can ‘run what you bring’ type rules. However up against high horsepower hillclimb cars in our ‘rally spec power’ EV car will put us up against it, however the first accomplishment, not just for us, but the sport, is having our EV on the start line. And what’s our goal with this car – to showcase our team and our developments to the world, putting our team on the map for future motorsport endeavours.
Since we started the project, we have been regularly in contact with Motorsport NZ about our vision and specifics about the type of technology we are using. There has been a massive learning process involved for everyone, including myself. Even going back to the start of 2019, I was initially nervous about an EV in a motorsport environment – after all, its my bum that’s in the seat. But throughout the build and development process while working with our team, I have learnt so much about the technology, the systems and the safety. To a point now, where from a pure safety stand point, I feel safer driving an EV.
Fire risk is minimal with the type of motorsport proven system we run, and even in a worse case scenario, a thermal run away event won’t result in an instant explosion. It’s a activity that happens over prolonged periods of time with plenty of warning and management from our in-car software. Yes IF (the big word IF) a EV goes on fire, it is harder to contain. However, how often do we see, once a big fire takes hold of motorsport car full of carbon, fuel and light weight part,s that once it has caught fire proper, then they often also burn to the ground. I have had two combustion cars burn to the ground before.
Fire aside, the other danger is voltage. However just like in Formula E or Formula 1, purpose built EV motorsport cars have high voltage safety lights visible all around the car. Only in a worse case (battery short in a large incident) would these turn red to signal the car is not save to touch – at which point, while the passengers are still in the car, are also safe. Its just a matter of safely extracting using the correct PPE. Whilst the car safety lights are green, the car is 100% normal. When we work on it, treat it just like a normal car.
The biggest part with this type of technology is simply education. I have learnt a lot through this process, likewise have many others around us. A way to think about it in reverse is, imagine in this day and age if we tried to regulate petroleum for the first time – that’s crazy they would say!
Motorsport NZ have been very helpful throughout the process. We have all had to be patient as it is the governing body responsibility to ensure all ‘worse case scenarios’ are covered for the safety of everyone involved. The new EV safety guidelines are a thorough introduction for EV motorsport for competitors and car clubs, but also not easy, as different build spec of EV cars have different requirements.
While our sport has a responsibility to be current with the automotive industry which I firmly believe is a good direction for our sport (I am as much a petrol head as anyone else in our sport), the short term issue with EV is gap between DIY builds, and full on FIA type EV builds.
We are a country that loves and should always be encouraged, building our own cars. Its part of the DNA of NZ motorsport. However, the days of taking a Toyota Starlet and putting in a roll cage and going racing is now quite different. To take a road going Tesla or Leaf, put a cage in and go racing is a different proposition.
The cars are not designed for prolonged periods of time at full acceleration/energy output and there are not safety light additions to the HV system to make it visibly apparent to marshals and others around the car if it is in a ‘safe state’. However these are issues that there are solutions for, which we are working with Motorsport NZ to find.
In the meantime, we can see the event as a big milestone for our team that we are very excited about and we look forward for people seeing the car in action. I’m sure this will be a day that we look back on as ‘where it all started’ and while the unknown ahead maybe scary and may not be everyone’s cup of tea, it is also an opportunity for the sport to grow.
Its also vital that for simple things such as road closures, council permits and residence consents for rally roads and sprints, that our sport stays current with what is a very quickly changing environment, not only in terms of the automotive industry.
Onwards and upwards
Hayden
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