Rally1 hybrid cars (2022-)

[becher]

That's true but it also removes the possibility to control the shifting by the ECU. Honestly I have no idea how the WRC gearshift system was designed but I would expect that indirect shifting by the hydraulics can be set that it prevents shifting which would set the revolution speed outside of the safe range. With direct mechanical lever it is not possible. In the end the effect on the reliability may be worse than saving created by not using the hydraulics.

Damage from improper shifting used to be quite common with the S2000 cars where improper downshifting was really an easy mistake. I recall situations when RPM in the range of 10-11 thousand was achieved by mistake and it often lead to catastrophic damage.

Hmm yes, that makes sense. They won't be able to play with the ECU to improve shifting any more either i would guess.

[Tom K]

After making some "research" and puting together a bit scattered info, I would say that the strategic side of hybrid era and drivers' part of job is not where to deploy the energy, but where not to regenerate it...

In other words. After initial boost at the start, the regen counter will be zero. On the first braking driver can regenerate and if the regen is valid some portion of this energy is available (and used) after corner when car accelerates (because driver does not have any boost button, and hybrid is "on" during whole stage). And situation repeats until the energy limit of boost is reached - for example stage no 2 - 100 kJ.

So, the strategic side: If team decides, that the best option is to have 100 kJ available in one long straight in the middle of the stage, then the will would be not use it earlier (for example in slow twisty section when acceleration from ECU is enough). As driver cannot turn on/turn off this boost, he should try not to regenerate energy up to chosen section before long straight mentioned before.

Am I (at least a bit) right?

[WRCStan]

After making some "research" and puting together a bit scattered info, I would say that the strategic side of hybrid era and drivers' part of job is not where to deploy the energy, but where not to regenerate it...

In other words. After initial boost at the start, the regen counter will be zero. On the first breaking driver can regenerate and if the regen is valid some portion of this energy is available (and used) after corner when car accelerates (because driver does not have any boost button, and hybrid is "on" during whole stage). And situation repeats until the energy limit of boost is reached - for example stage no 2 - 100 kJ.

So, the strategic side: If team decides, that the best option is to have 100 kJ available in one long straight in the middle of the stage, then the will would be not use it earlier (for example in slow twisty section when acceleration from ECU is enough). As driver cannot turn on/turn off this boost, he should try not to regenerate energy up to chosen section before long straight mentioned before.

Am I (at least a bit) right?

Hybrid deployment is in the boost or not at all. I've heard several people saying it is on all the time, but I've taken it to be their way of saying there are no buttons to press to activate anything. After each valid regen you get the boost immediately which you can lose by braking, this may happen on twisty bits. Although then you'd get another boost from 1 second of reasonable braking.

They don't have to regenerate 100kj to get 100kj boost, in Monte SS2 they will use maximum 100kj under acceleration boost, then regenerate minimum 30kj by braking, then repeat this to the end of the stage. In general the battery should deplete across the stage. Realistically I don't think you could plan or would want to have it available in a particular place.

[Tom K]

As I expected, one "question-answer" pair will induce another one. This 100 kJ is the maximum of the each boost available after each valid regen (min 30 kJ) or it is sum of energy which can be used during whole stage, so all boosts on SS2 should give sum of energy equal 100 kJ? I thought the later is true, but now the former sounds reasonable...
Thank you

[traxx]

As I expected, one "question-answer" pair will induce another one. This 100 kJ is the maximum of the each boost available after each valid regen (min 30 kJ) or it is sum of energy which can be used during whole stage, so all boosts on SS2 should give sum of energy equal 100 kJ? I thought the later is true, but now the former sounds reasonable...
Thank you

It's for each boost between valid regen, so for SS2, it's 100kj for each boost when the pedal gas is enough (depending of the selected the boost mapping, 3 are available) after a valid regen (depending of the selected regen mapping, 3 are available) and enough energy level.

[Tom K]

Many thanks. One more thing. I have an impression that braking with 30 kJ regen is more about triggering the boost rather than actual regen the battery.

Fowler from Toyota: "So in effect, the energy that you deploy should be such an amount that if you deploy on every section through the stage you equal your battery capacity at the end.

“It’s an energy-based strategy where you start with a full battery, you regenerate a certain amount and you deploy more than you regenerate and at the end your battery is finished.

I also read sth from M-Sport that SOC (state of charge) of battery at the start will be 80 % (confirmed in Monte biuletin). At the finish they want battery to have 30%.

We have lenght of the stage - SS2 - 23,25 km. We have maximum value of each boost - 100 kJ. So under hypothetical conditions (no corner/braking shortly after beginning of the boost) each boost could release 100 kJ. It has to be preceded by "valid regen" - 30 kJ.

And now: If they want battery to go down from SOC 80% to SOC 30%, is it enough to regen under each braking this 30 kJ to be able to use 100 kJ from next boost? Or driver should try to regen as big amount of energy as possible? In other words - should some of the braking regens give 60 kJ/80 kJ and does it have influence on the energy for boost which he will use until the end of the stage?

In above assumption I excluded boost maps and regen maps to make it simplier.

[WRCStan]

The aim of the game hasn't changed, driver wants to get to the finish as quickly as possible and will concentrate on that not energy values. There's no points for energy recovery or having a fuller/used battery. The rate at which the battery recharges doesn't convince me it's worth a driver thinking about. 30kj is tiny, 5-10% of what's available braking from 120kph to 50kph. We'll have to wait and see real world values of what they are actually capable of.

Full battery has 14,040kj on paper, max SOC 80% is 11,232. Max 1000kj off at the start line, 10,232kj. Sounds like 30% could be the minimum SOC, 4212kj.

So, even when they regen the minimum and boost the max each time and have the opportunity to do that, it's >80 boosts on this stage, average 4/km? It's plenty, but we're assuming they're starting the stage at max SOC! Maybe another strategy play is to turn it off on the first stage of a loop?

[AnttiL]

So, even when they regen the minimum and boost the max each time and have the opportunity to do that, it's >80 boosts on this stage, average 4/km? It's plenty, but we're assuming they're starting the stage at max SOC! Maybe another strategy play is to turn it off on the first stage of a loop?

Why? They can regenerate the battery to full on the road section.

[traxx]

Why? They can regenerate the battery to full on the road section.

Sure, Should be around 100% at the start of each stage

[WRCStan]

Why? They can regenerate the battery to full on the road section.

Not if they're straight out of one and into the other. Now I remember they have this new P1 clash rule so they have the time but if it's just meters down the road they would have to leave the engine running.