WSC Group, the global TCR rights holder, has announced its intention to develop a new Mild Hybrid kit for TCR cars, allowing TCR series around the world to offer a hybrid option.
The news follows on from the development of the FIA ETCR all-electric touring car championship, which WSC has been working on for the past five years.
WSC will now offer further steps towards what it calls ‘cleaner motorsport’ with a plan to offer a plug-in kit which will be distributed by the different manufacturers to be installed in their own models.
The concept began development in early 2021 with a study by WSC, with all manufacturers involved in TCR showing interest.
WSC states that “the aim is to establish an affordable price, taking into account residual values of the different racing cars including those that are second or third hand”.
The kit will work by offering an additional power to the thermal engine in a range between 20 and 30 KWs, via the recovery of energy during braking and deceleration.
WSC intends to be able to offer the kit to TCR series by 2023, with the concept thus being referred to as HTCR.
Development tests are scheduled to be undertaken in late January and the kit could potentially make a public appearance in 2022, if the results of the test confirm that the system is performing as expected and shows strong reliability.
A report in French publication AutoHebdo recently revealed that the FIA WTCR is likely to move to hybrid technology in the near future, as outgoing WTCR Managing Director Xavier Gavory said that “WTCR should move to the hybrid by 2023”.
Hybrid technology will make its début in the British Touring Car Championship this year as part of the series’ next evolution of its NGTC regulations.