QUICK READ

E Lab

The DS E-Tense Performance prototype, revealed by Stellantis this week, is something of a high-performance laboratory intended to accelerate the technological development of its DS brand, which is an off-shoot from Citroen. Built around a carbon monocoque and powered by a pair of Formula E-derived electric motors that collectively produce 600kW and 8 000Nm, the ‘prototype’ is expected to fuel the development of future DS E-Tense production models. “Our objective is to apply the experience acquired in Formula E and the expertise that we’ve taken from our international titles to a project which predicts the highperformance electric car of tomorrow,” said DS Performance director Thomas Chevaucher. “It is a laboratory we will use to analyse the behaviour of components and to develop them with a view to future manufacturing.” | IOL Motoring

Hybrids

HYBRID car sales reached a milestone in Europe last year as they grabbed the same market share as diesel vehicles, while electric models gained more ground, industry data shows.

The figures come as the European Commission aims to ban the sale of new fossil fuel cars from 2035, and carmakers have unveiled plans for an electric future. A green group warned, however, that conventional engines could stage a comeback if the EU does not set more ambitious CO2 emissions standards. Selfcharging hybrids accounted for nearly 20% of new cars registered across the EU, matching diesel, with 1.9 million cars sold, the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association said – up from an 11.9% market share for hybrids in 2020. | AFP

FORMULA 1 boss Stefano Domenicali says drivers will no longer be given the formal opportunity to take a knee before races, stressing that it is now time for “action” to increase diversity in motorsport. Britain’s Lewis Hamilton and other drivers have knelt ahead of every race for the past two seasons in a show of solidarity against racism. But F1 is set to pull the allocated slot from its pre-race schedule for the new season, which starts in Bahrain next month. The sport announced it was extending its funding commitment to the Formula One engineering scholarship programme for under-represented groups until 2025. And it will carry on screening an anti-racism message ahead of every race. "We needed to make sure what we did was important to show the intention of Formula One,” Domenicali said. | AFP

NEWS 24/7

IOL.CO.ZA

F1