When the 107th Running of the Indianapolis 500 takes place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway next year, all of the IndyCars will be powered entirely by ethanol.
The NTT IndyCar Racing Series says that beginning in 2023, the race cars will be powered by a second-generation renewable ethanol racing fuel developed by Shell.
Currently, the fuel used by IndyCar is a variation of E85, which contains 85-percent ethanol and 15-percent high-octane racing fuel.
“The fuel and lubricant and energy solutions developed through our strategic relationship with IndyCar and the Penske Corporation can ultimately help accelerate reduced carbon emissions from transport in many sectors of the economy,” says Carlos Maurer, an executive vice president with Shell.
“Our motorsports technical alliances around the world provide a testing ground for fuel and lubricant technologies and products in demanding road conditions,” added Maurer.
The manufacturing process for IndyCar’s ethanol will be less exotic than the low-carbon fuel Formula 1 is considering for 2026. The company says it will use sugarcane waste and other renewable feedstocks in its biofuel manufacturing process. The switch will enable at least 60 percent less carbon dioxide emissions when compared to fossil fuel gasoline.
Source: NAFB
