On July 5, Honda and Chevrolet, two automotive giants, will unveil their new hybrid engines in a culmination of a five-year process that began with an announcement during the 2019 Indianapolis 500. This historic event, set to take place at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, will see all cars on the grid equipped with a new energy recovery system (ERS) on their 2.2-liter, twin-turbocharged V-6 engines. This system, donated by Honda Racing Corporation and Chevrolet Racing, is a game-changer, similar to the GTP cars used in Formula One and IMSA, but with its unique features. The main difference is that the IndyCar device doesn’t use a battery but an ultracapacitor pack instead. This makes it lighter and easier to pack while keeping the ability to charge quickly. In fact, the first ultracapacitors were chosen because there wasn’t a good place to put a battery. These are also better than batteries because they are low-voltage systems (48 volts) instead of high-voltage systems (GTP and F1). The motor generator unit (MGU), internal combustion engine, and energy storage system (ESS) will work together to give the back wheels an extra 60 horsepower. The whole thing will weigh about 120 pounds. The new IndyCar drivetrain is different from the old ones because of how it absorbs energy. Unlike F1 cars and other cars, Indy cars race on a range of tracks, such as superspeedways, road and street courses, and more. Tracks with a lot of shifting, coasting, braking, and other moves make it easy to get your energy back. What about ovals, then? On ovals, cars will have an extra paddle on the back of the steering wheel that works like the turning paddles they already have. This extra paddle can be used with little effort. Ultracapacitors charge very quickly, so when you pull the paddle, the MGU turns on, and the ESS starts charging. On superhighways, this stick could be used to coast while the car was in fuel-saving mode, to control the distance without having to speed up, and other things. ERS power will be available to drivers for the whole race lap, just like the current Push-to-Pass system, which gives drivers more power for a set amount of time during each race. However, the series will set the limits on harvesting and deployment for each lap based on the length of the track and other factors. Both companies say they are ready for the next round of the IndyCar title and have driven over 24,000 kilometers to test the new drivetrain. It may seem strange to introduce new technology in the middle of the season, but this new technology must be now available after such a long wait.
