The World Rally Championship will go hybrid, and Hyundai is the first to announce its 2022 contender.
WRC is moving into an electrified era, and Hyundai Motorsport is excited to reveal its 2022 rival before the season’s beginning later in the month. The new South Korean car is called “i20 N rally1 2022 edition” and was designed from the ground up for a hybrid setup. The 100-kW electric motor will work with the 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline engines that were used in the 2021-spec car.
Kreisel Electrics will supply an e-motor with an additional 134 horsepower. This will allow for a combined output of approximately 500 hp in short bursts. The electric boost must be used on every stage of rallies, per regulations. Regenerative braking will allow the energy to be returned to the battery. You can unlock the temporary power boost by pressing the accelerator pedal. The cars will still be four-wheel drive.
Hyundai’s 2022 Rally1 car will have a simplified five-gear transmission. This will eliminate the need for a center differential. The WRCrules will also affect the suspension. They will reduce wheel travel and make it simpler by using simple dampers, hubs and anti-roll bars.
Due to the additional hardware commanded through the hybrid setup, the i20 N Rally12022 edition will weigh in at 70 kg (154 pounds) more than its predecessor. Hidden air ducts and liquid brake cooling are no longer permitted. Although it may look familiar from the outside, Hyundai Motorsport’s latest rally vehicle is safer thanks to a new steel spaceframe chassis.
Thierry Neuville, Ott Tanak and Dani Sordo will take the Ford Puma Hybrid Rally1 competitor’s wheel. Oliver Solberg will share a third Rally1 vehicle. The Monte Carlo Rally will kick off the 13-round 2022 WRC series on January 20-23.