Interesting idea to do some green Kart Racing.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7581839.stm

http://www.formulazero.nl/

GO Holland!

Sounds like a good idea - will watch out for this.

so when is Formula -1 coming out then?

Quote :

"With a combustion engine, you have to reach three or four thousand rev[olutions per minute] to get your peak power," he says. "With an electric vehicle, it's all there from standing, and they're more efficient."

For some reason, that sounds like awfully boring racing with a flat power curve. Besides, energy efficiency is horrible compared to combustion engine and hydrogen is energy storage medium unlike petrol, which basically makes it just as economical as the powerplant it was produced in.

Quote from DevilDare :

so when is Formula -1 coming out then?

When someone sorts out a full grid of pedal karts?

Quote from beefyman666 :

When someone sorts out a full grid of pedal karts?

I'm in... anyone wanna join

Quote from Crommi :

Besides, energy efficiency is horrible compared to combustion engine

excuse me?

I still think its a great step forward to try something a little greener!

OMG, They're ugly.
why dont they just do electric lawn mover racing instead *puke*

Quote from Shotglass :

excuse me?

Producing hydrogen requires more energy than it can release and after that you'll need to go through plenty of hoops before it ends up running your car.

Quote from Crommi :

Besides, energy efficiency is horrible compared to combustion engine

The best a combustion engine in car can hope for is 30% efficiency with an average of about 20% over a long run. Electric engines can go up to 90% or more.

Quote from Dennis93 :

OMG, They're ugly.
why dont they just do electric lawn mover racing instead *puke*

How are they ugly? They're.....Karts?

eerrr.. pllleeeeaaaassseeee

My only gripe on the idea behind the series is that I think it's foolish starting something new aimed for efficiency and essentially copying the same old designs. Ideas to minimize drag, without necessarily enclosing the driver in a bubble, should be welcome in such a venture. Is there any reference on what speeds those karts can attain?

Quote from xaotik :

My only gripe on the idea behind the series is that I think it's foolish starting something new aimed for efficiency and essentially copying the same old designs. Ideas to minimize drag, without necessarily enclosing the driver in a bubble, should be welcome in such a venture. Is there any reference on what speeds those karts can attain?

On the site it says 110kph, which is very fast for a kart. At the same time, on the video it says a little more then 30mph (48.2kph). I really don't know what it is, but im guessing its 48kph. Also, you look at the site and its goals is to make a more lower formula style car, and then by 2015 to have a full sized formula zero championship race car.

It does look promising to see them achieve this. In 06, the project was a smaller sized normal kart. They then released the current one this year.

Quote :

The Formula Zero race class will begin with karts and scale up to full size racing as this zero-emission technology develops and consumer demand for hydrogen cars increases.

2008 Formula Zero Championship, Student Edition

2011 Formula Zero Championship, City Edition

2015 Formula Zero Championship

Formula Zero Championship, Student Edition
Top International universities will build their own hydrogen fuel cell racing kart and compete against each other on a mobile race track. In 2008 this competition will be a level playing field and each university team will use a Hydrogenics HyPM8 Fuel Cell, pictured below:

2011 Formula Zero Championship, Street Edition
The FZ race class will scale up to hydrogen racers, which will compete globally on street circuits in city centres.

2015 Formula Zero Championship, Circuit Edition
Full-size hydrogen fuel cell racing cars built by car manufacturers compete on racing circuits around the world.

D'oh - never occurred to me to look in the "History" section for the specs of the kart.

Heh, I'm surprised myself that I even thought to look before i post!

Quote from Intrepid :

I'm in... anyone wanna join

http://www.pedalcars.info/