GCK Energy and Saudi-based solar energy firm Desert Technologies are ramping up its provisions for solar energy to power the Dakar bivouac and supply charging points for electric vehicles in preparation for its shift towards entries run on renewable power.
GCK Energy''s demonstration at this year''s Dakar is part of the ASO''s plan to run an autonomous bivouac structure by 2024, while organisers aim for all race vehicles to be powered by green energy by 2030.
The set-up was showcased at this year''s Neom bivouac, with 630 solar panels capable of producing up to 1.2 megawatts of energy per day, while GCK Energy''s storage plans will allow the electricity to be stored and provide charging points throughout the area.
"Our vision is to create a bivouac powered by clean energy," Gilles Rocchia, founder of Socomec and GCK Energy, told Autosport.
"The energy stored during the day is used to power our facilities, our fully electrical GCK E-Blast 1 car and the press room and the video walls of the organisers.
"The idea is to power all the facilities of the organisation on the bivouac with clean energy.
"We are ready to power the 2022 ASO facilities. We are speaking about three containers plus one for the storage, so the number are not astronomic.
"The set-up time is also very reasonable as it took only four hours for the current installations."
The bivouac plan dovetails former World Rallycross team GCK Motorsport''s four-year off-road programme, launching with the GCK e-Blast 1, with a second model, GCK e-Blast H2, a hybrid car using battery and hydrogen power. WRC driver Kevin Abbring is part of the test team for the project.
The move follows the planned shift to electric and hydrogen competition at the Dakar, with Audi set to enter a hybrid car for the 2022 event partly derived from its Class One-spec DTM engine.
"Renewable and clean energy is the trend that ASO has decided to embrace," Dakar rally director David Castera said.
"The announcement of Audi joining the rally with a hybrid model will be followed by other manufacturers and we had the demonstration of what GCK Motorsport can do."
During a presentation at the Dakar, Castera revealed plans for an alternative energy category in 2022 for competitors racing in hybrid, electric or hydrogen-powered cars and trucks, with four projects presented.
In the car category, Sven Quandt, CEO of Q-Motorsport, aims to run cars for Audi with a project to produce a fully electric vehicle developed by Audi Sport.
Cyril Despres and Mike Horn presented a Gen-Z project targeting to be at the start of the 2023 Dakar with a hydrogen-powered car.
In the truck category, Gaussin Group revealed a hydrogen-powered truck project, while Kolen Industries offered an electric hydrogen-powered truck plan.
From 2026, all elite competitors in the car and truck categories will be required to enter the race with vehicles that meet new ultra-low emission standards, as part of the 2030 target to see the complete line-up in the car and truck categories powered by alternative energy with zero emission.
Photography by Julien Delfosse / DPPI
Words by Stephen Brunsdon
The Amaury Sport Organisation, which runs the Dakar Rally, has unveiled further details of its alternative energy timeline ahead of a full transition in 2030.
Dakar director David Castera launched the event''s DakarFuture vision during a press conference at the Neom bivouac, the location for the ninth stage of the 2021 edition.
The green vision falls in line with Saudi Arabia''s plans to become oil revenue independent by 2030.
Speaking during the press conference, Castera said: "the goal for the Dakar is to become the first fully sustainable adventure rally in the world. [We have] a clear strategy in line with our pioneering DNA, which is electric motors.
"How we define the supply of that electricity is down to the competitors, the rules are open."
From 2022, a new category for vehicles using alternative energy will be established, putting the focus on hybrid, electric or hydrogen-powered cars and trucks, with other emission-lowering technologies also considered.
Audi, which will be run in collaboration with Sven Quandt''s Q Motorsport, will be part of this category, having announced its electric Dakar program last December.
"The Dakar was always, and is, a playground for new technology, and for crazy cars," Quandt said.
"For us, the alternative energy class opens up a completely new area of motorsport. Regardless of whatever we develop in the future, whether it is electric, hybrid, hydrogen or a micro-turbine, the new class will be balanced nicely so that one day they all have a chance to win the Dakar."
Hydrogen vehicles will also feature heavily in 2022 and 2023, with the Green Corp Konnection – co-run by World Rallycross Championship regular Guerlain Chicherit – and Cyril Desprès and Mike Horn''s Gen-Z outfits entering cars.
Earlier this week, GCK gave its e-Blast 1 a demonstration run on the Dakar stages with test and development driver Kevin Abbring and announced it has started development on the hydrogen-powered e-Blast H2 program for 2022.
The first hydrogen-powered truck will debut next year as well, with Gaussin Group''s H2 Road Truck.
"We want to do the Dakar to show the performance of our trucks, which are hydrogen-powered, but also to show how easy it is to equip trucks with hydrogen generators, along with an electric battery."
In 2023, it is expected that three top teams will contest the Dakar using electric or hybrid technology, while at least one test prototype will run using hydrogen.
The ASO plans to have the electric/hybrid category "full" by 2025 before all elite cars and trucks are required to switch to 100% alternative energy by 2026.
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