Efficiency: Formula One engines in 2014
 

Mercedes reveals 2014 engine details*

This is the bit that caught my eye:

I am assuming this system is converting waste heat into electricity to store in the KERS battery. Very cool!

Very interesting indeed!
But I can't help but think how they want to keep the costs of F1 in check but CONSTANTLY change the rules so the teams and manufacturers have to spend millions to be competitive every year.

wugun -

Yes it's almost like they were trying to use the R&D budgets of the teams to promote technological advancements.

I'm all for tech advancements! The KER's is a sensible, real world And usable technology...
And I'm sure this will be too, considering the renewed interest I. Turbo technologies...
But let's give the r&d time for all the "d"!

Teams spend millions on development during the season, from race to race, not just when major rules are changed. I doubt that changing engine rules really costs them a whole lot more than they are already spending.

KERS is pretty relevant to road technology, yes.




Which is why the Prius has had "KERS" for over a decade, now. :D

But there are some teams, like Williams, who are looking to commercialize what they've learned with KERS, so it's not completely greenwashing.

As for rules change, the engine rule change may cost something now, but it is pretty important for F1 to attract more manufacturers and engine suppliers. When we all thought that the new engines would be I4s, mass manufacturers started expressing interest in returning. Big, powerful V8s are hardly road relevant nowadays, but smaller turbocharged engines are.

To minimize costs, they've started stabilizing the aero rules. Very minimal changes between seasons this year, mostly clarifications on what is legal and what is not.

Another tidbit, taken from 2014 Formula One season - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

Are they storing 161 hp that can be applied at 161 hp for 33 seconds a lap.
A lap of what?
If that is 161 per second sustained for 33 seconds, that's a lot of stored energy.
It would be neat to see how far you could get on that much stored energy in a normal vehicle.

regards
Mech

120kW for 33 seconds is 1.10kWh.
That wouldn't make a normal vehicle go very far.

And they are requiring the car to run the race with 2/3 rds the fuel? That means they have to get 50% bettter mileage! 100 kilos versus 150 kilos fuel, if you base the current 100 versus the old 150, or 33% if you use the 150 versus the 100. Thats a huge increase in mileage under racing conditions when you consider they have the same amount to total power. It will be interesting to see how close they get to the same lap times as before, and if they can it is a testament to short term high capacity energy storage and application.

regards
Mech