Can Road-Relevant Tech Be Grid-Relevant?

When it comes to efficient energy management, there are some amazing things happening on the world’s racetracks and it’s attracting support from automotive manufacturers. Sponsorships are growing, which is good news for racing, the marketplace and me. I’m contemplating buying a new car but haven’t really decided about the type. I have an older SUV that’s a gas-guzzler and I really don’t want another one. An EV (electric vehicle) would be nice, but New Mexico is the 5th largest state and one of the most sparsely populated. That reflects poorly in its EV charger infrastructure.

That has me leaning toward a hybrid, which is one reason I’ve been following what’s going on with Formula E and Formula 1 (F1) racing plus I’m a gearhead. Many non-racing fans may be unaware of the positive impact these racetracks have on the development of road-relevant technologies. This is especially true when it comes to EVs and hybrid power systems, but it’s not just the automotive sector. Some of these amazing developments are also grid-relevant. That’s another reason I have kept an eye on advancements happening in Formula E, F1, and NASCAR racing. Yes, that’s correct, NASCAR! Recently there has been considerable chatter about the ABB-NASCAR EV Protype, which is a high-speed electric racecar.

Maybe it’s time for a little background info before moving on. Not long ago, the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) and Formula E Holdings announced some radical changes for the 2026 racing seasons. The ABB FIA Formula E World Championships unveiled the Formula E’s next-gen with its GEN4. FIA’s F1 racecar underwent some unprecedented overhauling. These dramatic shifts have been met with both positive and negative feedback from fans and participants alike. The GEN4 racecar will debut in late 2026. Of interest to grid-relevant followers are its improved energy efficiencies and power management system. The F1 racing machine has undergone major renovations for 2026, but it’s the road-relevancy/grid-relevancy that’s taking place within its hybrid power systems that are of interest.

Tech War on Wheels

The F1 racecar went hybrid in 2014 with a roughly 20/80 split between the hybrid and combustion systems. It was a complex hybrid system that was not very road-relevant according to critics. It was not what automotive manufactures were interested in, and things needed changing. The 2026 F1 racer closely mimics the hybrid systems found on the roadways except these are hybrids on steroids. It has 50/50 power split between the two systems, and the exhaust regen system was removed.

Last year “Charging Ahead” looked at changes taking place in the batteries, regenerative power system and its energy management system found on the GEN3-Evo cars. These advancements were grid-relevant then, and the 2026 revisions are more so. The new GEN4 has improved battery characteristics, a regen breaking system that returns up to 700kW, and advancements to its energy management system are amazing.

The 2026 F1’s hybrid package modification represents a fundamental shift towards electrification that’s more road-relevant than previous versions according to reviewers. Hybrid-wise, the designs are significantly more grid-relevant than previous attempts with its stronger emphasis on intelligent energy management and an enhanced energy recovery system not to mention improved high-density batteries.

Closer to Home

Auto-racing provides a platform for accelerated R&D that emphasizes fast-track innovation. It’s a process known as "tech transfer" that pushes advanced technologies, engineering, and science to its limits before they’re introduced to the car buying public. Think of it as a time accelerator where a race season equals years of normal evaluations. Promising applications are perfected and ultimately transferred to vehicles or to the power grid much faster and the F1’s hybrid system is a perfect example of this thinking.

F1 racing emphasizes the need for extreme electrical efficiency. It requires rapid energy harvesting that’s dependent on sophisticated storage management. How is that different from the power gird with its renewable energy systems, microgrids, or virtual power plants? One news release said the FIA determined it needed to be more environmentally friendly. Switching to synthetic (i.e., non-fossil-based) fuels and increasing their hybrid power system fits. F1 racing has to stay relevant because the world is moving away from internal combustion toward EVs.

Grid-relevancy means grid-enhancing technologies that are smarter and more flexible. Racing technology is developing faster charging and storage management systems and improved energy management, all of which are flexible and smarter. That translates into a more reliable, and affordable power grid. So, it’s possible to be road-relevant and grid-relevant!