About Green Racing

In 2006, members of DOE, EPA, SAE International, and several automotive industry leaders came together to form the Green Racing Working Group to develop the Green Racing Protocols. These protocols call for a joint DOE/EPA/SAE International awards program to incentivize, recognize, and reward automotive industry leaders that go the farthest and fastest with the smallest environmental footprint for energy used. Announced earlier this year at the Detroit Auto Show, the American Le Mans Series became the first automotive racing series to adopt the Green Racing Protocols.

The Green Racing Challenge Award is based on a green score which takes into account the amount of fuel consumed during the race, distance (number of laps) completed, speed, energy efficiency, and the amount of greenhouse gases emitted during the race.  To achieve the best green score cars will use renewable fuels, such as cellulosic E85, E10, and Shell gas-to-liquid B20 (a type of clean diesel), multiple propulsion systems, and regenerative energy technologies.

EPA, DOE and Argonne National Laboratories has published Green Racing Protocols through SAE International.  The Green Racing Protocols can be adapted for any racing series, and promote the development of energy efficient technologies, and the reduction of greenhouse gases and auto emissions. They also encourage the use of renewable fuels and regenerative energy powertrains (hybrids).  EPA, DOE and SAE International will also provide national awards and recognition to the auto companies that build the race cars that go the fastest using the least amount of energy and creating the fewest greenhouse gas emissions.  The protocols are based on five elements:

• The use of a renewable fuels;
• The use of many different engines, fuels, and propulsion systems in one race;
• The use of regenerative energy powertrain technologies that recover and reuse braking energy;
• The use of energy allocations instead of detailed sporting regulations; and
• The use of exhaust pollution control strategies and systems.

The first racing organization to participate is the American Le Mans Series (ALMS), which is a sports car racing series that features multiple technologies in each race, including the use of cellulosic E85 fuels and diesel vehicles with particulate filters.  A hybrid electric race car, capable of speeds of 200 mph has been competing in the series.  Last October, EPA, DOE, and SAE presented the first Green Challenge awards at the ALMS Petit Le Mans race near Atlanta.  The ALMS is continuing the Green Challenge competitions this year, and will culminate in championship awards being given by EPA, DOE, and SAE to the auto manufacturers with the winning cars.

In 2009, the American Le Mans Series incorporates the Green Racing Protocols into a season-long Green Racing Cup Championship.  The award will be given to the team with the lowest Green Racing Challenge score in both the LMP and GT classes. Each American Le Mans Series team will start the season with the maximum number of points available for all the scheduled races (i.e. 250 maximum for 2008).  When teams win Green Challenge Championship points, the points will be deducted from the total. The Le Mans Prototype and GT teams with the lowest total at the season’s end will win the season-long Green Racing Challenge Championship Award.

Green Racing and the partnership between the DOE, EPA, SAE, and the American Le Mans Series represents a tremendous opportunity to demonstrate that efficient automotive technologies can meet the performance requirements of even the most demanding customers.  Historically, racing has brought about several revolutions in automotive technology, such as pinion steering and disc brakes. Green Racing is anticipated to encourage manufacturers to produce new efficient automotive technologies as well as test them in a highly demanding environment.