Renault showcases new F1-spec hybrid turbo V6 power unit for 2014

Filed under: Motorsports, Hybrid, Renault, Racing



Engine development is typically frozen in Formula One. So the Renault R27 engine that propelled Sebastian Vettel to the championship last season, for example, was by and large the same one that drove him to his previous three titles, and the same design that has motivated countless other Red Bull, Lotus, Caterham, Williams and Renault challengers since 2007. But for 2014 the FIA has completely changed the rulebook, ditching the 2.4-liter V8 engines and their Kinetic Energy Recovery System for an entirely new design. What you see here is Renault's new grand prix propulsion system that's set to power over a third of the grid this season.

The Renault Energy F1-2014 Power Unit is comprised of a 1.6-liter turbocharged V6 engine with direct injection and a 15,000 rpm redline mated to a new Energy Recovery System with two electric motors - one recovering energy from the brakes and the other from the exhaust - storing the energy in an onboard battery (as opposed to the mechanical flywheel other constructors had toyed with earlier). Together they're capable of producing 760 horsepower - around 600 horses comes from the internal-combustion engine and the rest from the hybrid assist.

That's about the same output as the previous V8 engines were producing, but the new power units have to be more economical and last longer: While the V8s could consume fuel as fast as the team wanted (at least until the elimination of mid-race refueling), the new turbo V6 can only use 100 kg of fuel per hour. What's more is that 100 kg of fuel has to last the entire race distance, representing a 35-percent decrease over last year, and each driver only gets five engines for the entire season.

So while the new engines may not be any more powerful than the ones they replace, they're more compact, longer-lasting and consume less fuel than ever before. Intrigued? There's plenty more to digest in the press release below, so hop on in - and don't forget to check out the images (including some nifty diagrams and infographics) in the gallery above.Continue reading Renault showcases new F1-spec hybrid turbo V6 power unit for 2014

Renault showcases new F1-spec hybrid turbo V6 power unit for 2014 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Jan 2014 18:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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