DAMMAM, Saudi Arabia – The desert doesn’t forgive. She will not be good and she or he doesn’t care that you simply’ve spent tens of millions of {dollars} and numerous hours to organize for a rally, even if you’re Audi and even when the rally is the world-famous Dakar.
The Dakar Rally stretches over 14 levels by way of Saudi Arabia. Every day’s levels are saved secret till quarter-hour earlier than go time. Navigators are given a digital roadbook and should information their drivers by way of rock-strewn fields, over big dunes and throughout flooded rivers. Neither GPS nor exterior help are allowed. It’s a brutal problem that’s each thrilling and exhausting, pushing each human and machine to absolutely the restrict. Solely the sturdy survive, and typically even these people fail.
Audi had a troublesome go this 12 months with the re-vamped RS Q E-Tron E2 hybrid race automotive. That is the second 12 months the corporate has campaigned three automobiles, however after 14 days of racing, just one completed … in 14th place. They arrived practically seven hours after winners Nassar Al-Atttiyah and Mathieu Baumel of their Toyota Hilux.
The E2 is propelled by electrical energy saved in its 52-kilowatt-hour battery, nevertheless it options an onboard generator within the type of the two.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that Audi has campaigned in DTM, one of many best-known worldwide touring automotive race sequence. This combustion engine can cost the battery on the go, making certain that the E2 has sufficient juice for the stage.
A typical Dakar Rally stage will be wherever from 400 to 800 or extra kilometers lengthy. That sort of vary simply isn’t attainable with present battery know-how, therefore the DTM engine. Nevertheless, the E2 solely takes a most of 340 liters of gas per stage, whereas different automobiles swallow as much as 500 liters.
Audi can be utilizing a particular mix of ethanol-to-gasoline and e-methanol to drive that flamable engine. This combination is made from 80% sustainable contents, leading to 60% fewer carbon emissions than a conventional gasoline. The corporate hopes to run with 100% renewable gas within the close to future. Hey, should you can’t run on pure electrical, may as properly make the gas much less dangerous to the surroundings.
Audi introduced again the identical three driver/navigator groups for this 12 months’s Dakar (Stéphane Peterhansel/Edouard Boulanger in automotive 204, Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz in automotive 207 and Mattias Ekström/Emil Bergkvist in automotive 211), however the automobiles bought a fairly good overhaul.
The redesigned physique permits for a decrease heart of gravity and higher aerodynamics. Though the highest velocity stays unchanged at 170 km/h per the rally laws, the discount in general drag means the automotive is extra environment friendly. The automotive additionally shed 80 kilograms for a barely higher power-to-weight ratio. The cabin has remained the identical, though a couple of tweaks have been made for driver ergonomics. The spare tires are simpler to entry and the brand new 10-spoke wheels make them simpler to deal with throughout tire modifications. Put a pin in that final one, people, as it would come again round in a bit.
In its first Dakar final 12 months, Audi did very well, taking 14 particular person stage podiums amongst its three vehicles, and one of many vehicles ended up within the prime 10. This 12 months the story wasn’t fairly so vibrant.
Unhealthy luck from the inexperienced flag
Throughout 4 consecutive legs at first of the rally, the three Audi vehicles suffered a complete of 14 punctures. Good factor that they had these new easy-to-handle wheels, proper?
All tires within the class are offered by BFGoodrich, and albeit, this sort of failure is sort of the shock. The route was stuffed with rocks, however 14 flats amongst three vehicles is an enormous setback. Different groups have been affected by flats throughout the identical sections, so it should have been extremely rocky terrain. BFG says it would analyze the info to establish any attainable failure factors within the all-terrain tires. Let’s hope the corporate can use this data to enhance its subsequent technology of off-road race tires.
Extra issues occurred on stage 6. Peterhansel crashed out and navigator Boulanger was taken to hospital with again ache. Luckily, he’s anticipated to make a full restoration, however the automotive needed to be retired for the rest of the rally.
The unhealthy luck continued when Sainz and Cruz crashed in the identical spot a couple of minutes later, tearing off their left entrance wheel. Drivers haven’t any radio communication with their teammates or crew chiefs, and may solely use their satellite tv for pc telephones when stopped. There was no manner for Peterhansel to warn Sainz of the damaging dune. Think about Peterhansel’s shock seeing Sainz leap the dune in the identical spot, understanding the Spaniard’s destiny earlier than he did.
A phrase about crashing within the dunes right here. If drivers are simply cruising the dunes and never in competitors, the mantra is “solely drive what you’ll be able to see.” When cresting a dune you method it from the facet, peek over and proceed whether it is protected.
Within the Dakar, it’s powerful to return up sideways and take a peek on the different facet. Groups have to remain on their heading in the event that they wish to carry on the proper route. Flip sideways and the subsequent factor you’re 10 levels off your heading, going within the flawed path.
It’s a lot better from a navigation standpoint to drive straight up and over, however each time a driver crests a dune, she or he takes a danger. There are methods to learn the dunes and the wind sample to take a guess at what the opposite facet appears like, however a calculated danger remains to be a danger. Generally you hit paydirt, different occasions you simply hit dust.
Additional, driving an electrical automotive within the dunes may be very troublesome due to brake regen. In a gas-powered automotive you’ll be able to carry off the throttle on the prime of a dune and coast excessive. With EVs, lifting off the throttle means regen kicks in and the automotive slows down as a substitute of coasting. Drivers should preserve their foot in it only a contact longer than is snug, carrying extra velocity excessive.
With Peterhansel and Boulanger out and Sainz sitting at 107th as a consequence of receiving 18 hours of penalties for repairs, it grew to become Ekström and Bergkvist’s rally to win or lose. Going into stage 7, they have been sitting inside putting distance of an general podium in fifth place.
Rock of levels
The rock that automotive 211 hit didn’t look terribly giant on the Dakar video highlights, nevertheless it took out the management arm and it regarded just like the Swedish driving workforce had a protracted wait forward of them for the service truck. Audi entered a big truck within the rally as a help automobile, nevertheless it was nonetheless far behind them on track. Nevertheless, Sainz and Lucas saved the day by providing up their suspension. Within the Dakar, rivals may also help one another, and Sainz knew it was higher that he look ahead to the restore truck and let Ekström preserve his probability at making the rostrum. Nevertheless, it nonetheless set the Swedes again considerably.
Any hope of Sainz supplying extra components to Ekström got here to a halt in stage 9 when the 207 automotive flew over a dune and crashed. Cruz was transported to the hospital and Sainz was on his manner there as properly when he insisted the helicopter flip round and he be taken again to the bivouac. Sadly, Audi determined to retire the automotive, once more leaving Ekström and Bergvist to take up the mantle as Audi’s final hope.
The 2 fought valiantly, incomes three second-place stage podiums and two third locations, nevertheless it wasn’t sufficient to make the ultimate stage. A prime 15 end is all that was within the playing cards for Audi this 12 months.
‘I feel it’s faux’
The reception of different rivals to an electrified drivetrain appears to be a blended bag. Sebastien Loeb, who earned a second place general along with his navigator Fabian Lurquin, acknowledges the Audi workforce had some unhealthy luck. When requested if he would take an EV to the Dakar he replied, “I drove electrical in Excessive E!”
There was no time for comply with up, however presumably Seb would leap behind the wheel of an electrified Dakar rig if it have been supplied to him.
Nevertheless, Lorenzo Fluxa, who completed within the traditional class in a Toyota Land Cruiser with navigator Sergi Giralt, will not be so eager on the E2.
“I feel hydrogen or e-fuels are a greater strategy to go. I just like the inexperienced surroundings however utilizing the DTM means it isn’t pure electrical,” he stated. “I feel it’s faux.”
However why?
Which raises the query, why is Audi even doing all this? The workforce is simply dedicated to the Dakar by way of 2024 and whereas the engineering people are studying about battery cooling and efficiency underneath harsh situations, utilizing a spread extender isn’t precisely ground-breaking know-how. Bear in mind the Chevy Volt? Similar thought right here, people.
Additional, Audi doesn’t have any plans to supply any of the E2’s know-how in its manufacturing automobiles. Normally when a producer places large quantities of cash behind a motorsports effort, on a regular basis drivers finally profit from any classes realized. It might be nice to see Audi innovating right here in solid-state batteries for higher energy density or operating a hydrogen gas cell.
Rolf Michl, head of Audi Sport and Motorsports, stated throughout a press briefing that Audi desires to someday run a completely electrical drivetrain. Y’all higher get cracking.
Nevertheless, if all Audi desires to do is win races, then it has a aggressive automotive. Between the three automobiles it podiumed 12 occasions over the 14 levels on this 12 months’s Dakar, even taking first place in stage 1. Additional, Peterhansel and Boulanger gained the 2022 Abu Dhabi Desert Problem within the electrified dune smasher. The powertrain hasn’t been the problem within the Dakar. Moderately, it’s been the desert herself that has reared her ugly head, snapping management arms, tearing off wheels and puncturing tires.
A full EV at the moment can’t run inside the guidelines of the Dakar with no vary extender of some type, and Audi is working with what’s out there. It’s only a pity that the corporate isn’t striving to deliver new know-how to the desk.
