The vehicles designed for the test use hybrid engines, electrification systems and synthetic and ‘bio’ fuels that are carbon neutral
What is considered the world’s toughest raid begins on December 31,
with a total of 14 stages throughout Saudi Arabia. This 45th edition, in which the participants will run without any kind of assistance, will have to face all the challenges and unforeseen events that the route throws at them, completely autonomously.
It is an unbeatable opportunity for the main brands to test the prototypes
equipped with technologies which will later reach production cars, based mainly on electrification and the use of low-emission fuels.
Audi, for example, is focusing on electric hybridization. Carlos Sainz’s Audi RS Q e-tron E2 in the 2023 Dakar includes major modifications aimed at improving the efficiency of the electric powertrain, reducing weight, lowering the center of gravity, optimization and aerodynamics.
In the Repsol Toyota Rally Team, Isidre Esteve and Txema Villalobos will compete with a
renewable fuel 75 percent produced from organic waste. According to
Dolores Cardenasresponsible for Product Design at Repsol Technology Lab, “this fuel enables us to reduce our carbon footprint by approximately 90 percent compared to conventional fuels.”
Laia Sanz’s Astara 01 Concept also runs on e-fuel, a sustainable option for a race in which maximum power and a lot of autonomy are required.
In 2022, the Toyota brand won the most prestigious titles in the “off-road” disciplines such as the WRC, the W2RC and the Dakar itself. They return to the desert with an upgraded version of the Hilux GR DKR, with 360 horsepower and powered by renewable fuel. At the same time, the company has started developing a hydrogen battery version for its “street” pickup.
The Hilux that doesn’t compete is for sale in Spain with a diesel engine from 150 to 204 hp, with single, extra and double cabin variants. All versions have 4X4 traction with reduction.
Engines: 150 and 204 hp diesel Length/width/height (m): 5.32/1.80/1.79 Trunk: up to 1,057 liters Consumption: from 8.5 l/100 km Maximum speed: 175 km/h Acceleration: from 0 to 100 km/h in 10.1 seconds Price: from 35,003 euros
The vehicle that Audi is taking to the Dakar is equipped with a hybrid engine with a longer range based on a combustion engine from the DTM. The e-fuel engine is used to charge the batteries of the electric motors that power the car. The rechargeable battery is 52 kWh and the two-liter supercharged engine with which it reaches 170 km/h limits the technical regulations.
Closest to the market it would be the Audi Q8 e-tron, 100% electric. The top versions have three engines with an output of 370 kW (about 496 hp) and a range of up to 595 kilometers for the Sportback version.
Engines: electric from 340 to 408 hp Length/width/height (m): 4.91/1.93/1.61 Trunk: 62-528-1,567 liters Consumption: from 19.7 kWh/100 km Maximum speed: 200 km /u Price: from 87,100 euros
The Astara 01 Concept for the Dakar can carry 3,870 kWh of energy with its full e-fuel tanks, which weigh only about 400 kilos. Batteries that can store that amount of energy would weigh more than 22 tons. It goes from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 6 seconds and its top speed is limited to 170 km/h according to the competition regulations.
Although there is no “street” version similarly, the new SsangYong Rexton is the most “off-road” model of the group. In its fifth generation, it mounts a 202 CV diesel engine and has a gearbox for 4X4 driving.
Engines: 2.2 liter diesel and 202 hp Length/width/height (m): 4.85/1.96/1.82 Trunk space: 240-872-1,806 liters Consumption: from 7.7 l/100 km Maximum speed : 184 km/h Price: from 37,200 euros
The Dakar Rally adventure started in 1977.
Thierry Sabine he gets lost with his motorcycle in the Libyan desert, during the Abidjan-Nice rally route. Saved in extremis from the sand, he returns to France fascinated by the landscapes and decides to share his discovery with others.
This created a route that initially left the European mainland. The route would reach Alger, then pass through Agadez and end in Dakar. The founder sticks a motto on his creation: “A challenge for those who leave. A dream for those who stay.
Many sports and human stories have been written for nearly 40 years, and on this occasion
in the 2023 editionthe letters of a competition in which one of the objectives is to achieve more sustainable mobility are also painted.
Source: La Verdad
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
