How will the Formula One cars look likes in the electric car

[Scania]

no engine, no fuel tank, and maybe no gear box. just a set of battery and a motor or 4 hub motor, how will it look like?

[Scotracer]

The sidepods will have smaller intakes and there wont be an intake above the driver's head but the general look of the car will be pretty much the same since it is defined by the safety regulations, not the engine requirements. One thing they could do, however is:

[Giblet]

I like it.

If the Mclaren was a convertible, this looks like the spider version.

[Scania]

I think the rear parts can pe a bit shorter
and I think the part behind roll cage won't be nothing, maybe a shark fin

[flynfrog]

only larger to fit all of the batteries it would take to run a full GP

[freedom_honda]

This thread got me thinking, can current formula one engines run on hydrogen?

[Scania]

This thread got me thinking, can current formula one engines run on hydrogen?

The biggest problem of hydrogen is how to store it, if they can slove it, why don't they use Fuel Cell battery? better efficiency, lighter, and faster. I can't see any reasone to use hydrogen engine

modifly gasoline engine to hydrogen is not impossible, but it have not too much worth.

[Green Genes]

I understand that the biggest problem with burning hydrogen in a typical reciprocating engine is the hydrogen burns so fast that valve timing has to be compromised to the point where power and efficiency go out the window. Wankel rotary engines are much better suited because of the way the rotor opens and closes the ports. Mazda has already sold an extremely limited number of RX-8's modified to run on hydrogen in places like California where hydrogen filling stations exist already.

[Scania]

I understand that the biggest problem with burning hydrogen in a typical reciprocating engine is the hydrogen burns so fast that valve timing has to be compromised to the point where power and efficiency go out the window. Wankel rotary engines are much better suited because of the way the rotor opens and closes the ports. Mazda has already sold an extremely limited number of RX-8's modified to run on hydrogen in places like California where hydrogen filling stations exist already.

but the gas in the tank will run off very fast if you don't use the car

[Green Genes]

You lose about 1.7% of your tank a day according to this paper. They suggest carrying a gallon of gas to get to the station, which I guess would work pretty well with the Wankel.

If you can store the H2 as a liquid it should be possible to use it as a coolant. For a fuel cell car this could mean no radiator ducts, no air boxes, just a stiletto.

[flynfrog]

it still has crap for energy density

not to mention storage

and the simple science of getting it.

[Green Genes]

H2 has nearly three times the energy per gram of gasoline. The improved efficiency of an electric motor instead of a combustion engine would negate the poorer energy per liter. You'd have less weight of fuel in the same size tank, but it'd get you the same distance. (Roughly? Smarter people than me know for sure.)

And bottling hydrogen is no more difficult than say, drilling for oil under the ocean. It's just a matter of time, and not as much as you'd think. As oil goes back up and hydrogen starts coming down there'll be a tipping point. Green sentiments won't even enter into it.

[ISLAMATRON]

Hydrogen is bunk, electrons are the way to go... electrical energy is the future... probably stored in batteries.

Without the weight of the engine, gearbox and their cooling requirements we would see a much different driver/powertrain configuration than currently used by the F1 teams. Contemplate how much the shift to a mid engined design changed the shape of the car, an electric powertrain would be just as big a shift in paradigm... I doubt it would look like a current f1 car with the airbox cut off, but i could be wrong about that.

[Scania]

Hydrogen is bunk, electrons are the way to go... electrical energy is the future... probably stored in batteries.

Without the weight of the engine, gearbox and their cooling requirements we would see a much different driver/powertrain configuration than currently used by the F1 teams. Contemplate how much the shift to a mid engined design changed the shape of the car, an electric powertrain would be just as big a shift in paradigm... I doubt it would look like a current f1 car with the airbox cut off, but i could be wrong about that.

I think that they will use hub motor if F1 use electric car

[Giblet]

Doubtful.

In a race application you _always_ want unsprung weight minimized.

Reasons for motors inboard with drive shafts are numerous. Center of graity, safety, price, reusability.

An advantage would be cooling of the motors, but I don't see any others.