The 46th edition of the Dakar Rally is being staged in Saudi Arabia, an extreme competition that is increasingly opening up to innovations, also in the field of environmental sustainability and in the fight to reduce harmful emissions.
Years pass, locations change, but the charm of “Dakar” remains unchanged. The rally most famous, the one that annually brings together fearless drivers of cars, motorbikes, trucks and quads to compete in prove estreme off-roadcontinues to capture the imagination of many motoring enthusiasts.
It is a historic competition, which is committed to tradition but is not blind to the inevitable evolution of the times. Never like this year, between technological innovations and new challenges, the 46th edition of the Dakar Rally (running until January 19th). Saudi Arabia) is trying to embrace the very hot topic of environmental sustainability. Which for a motorsport competition of this magnitude is not trivial.
A more sustainable Dakar
On the one hand there are the organizers, who have tried to outline a route that preserves the cultural and environmental heritage of the host country as much as possible (the rally is being held in the Arabian desert for the fourth consecutive year). In addition, they have relaunched the financing of ecological projects to this as compensation for the harmful effects of emissions produced directly on the territory.
Then there are the team participants, who do their part. In fact, they are different to take measures to reduce environmental impact of their vehicles, with more efficient transport solutions and innovative techniques, which use, for example, biofuels or synthetic formulas that exploit energy from renewable sources.
Mission 1000: long for alternative energy
In this context, the birth of a new competition category reserved for solo players is very interesting prototype vehicles that use technologies green.
Is called “Mission 1000” and is part of the program Dakar Futurea kind of open-air laboratory with which we want to promote the use of alternative energy with low environmental impact in the competition. As the full electric for motorcycles and trucks, but also thehydrogen for cars, used for example by the HySE team buggy.
The competition between these vehicles runs parallel to the main one: the “Mission 1000” teams – about ten in total – compete on a total route of 1,000 km, divided into 10 stages and 100 km each. The vehicles green they are put to the test on every type of terrain, whether sandy or rocky, and then evaluated according to various criteria by a jury of experts. The scores achieved by each team then determine a final ranking.
A bit of Italy with the electric Tacita
An Italian standard bearer also takes part in the “Mission 1000”. AND’ Tacitawho with his Formula Corsa team is testing the brand new electric motorbike on the Arabian dunes I am learning.
The Turin manufacturer – which also uses the Italian driver Oscar Polli in Arabia – was the first to bring an electric motorcycle to the Dakar Rally (it was 2020) and is now competing officially to test the qualities of the Discanto before putting it on the market.
Carbon neutrality in 2030?
Dakar Future was born as a showcase to monitor, and why not accelerate, the adoption of sustainable technologies in the rally world.
The Dakar, after all, is not the only competition he intends to aim for carbon neutrality by 2030. And if the intention is to progressively reduce the quantity of harmful emissions from vehicles over the years – a process that has already begun with the introduction of hybrid vehicles and now with biofuels – the process will necessarily always have to make new ones step evolutionary. Testing and promoting alternative routes.
As long as you don’t give up the wild and extreme charm of the race. Without which the Dakar Rally would have no reason to exist.
