Future Car Challenge takes shape

More details of the RAC Future Car Challenge 2011 have been announced. It'll take place on Saturday, November 5 and organisers expect it to be bigger and better than 2010's inaugural event.

This year, around 85 vehicles are expected to take part, compared with 64 in 2010. Once again, there'll be a mix of production and pre-production cars, using a variety of technologies.

There are categories for fully electric, extended-range electric (cars with an electric motor supplemented by a small petrol engine that acts as a generator on longer journeys), hybrid- and hydrogen-powered vehicles, as well as vehicles with an internal combustion engine that emits less than 110g/km of CO2. The aim is to complete the 57-mile route from Brighton to London using as little energy as possible.

Last year's overall winner was an electric prototype Volkswagen Golf e-motion driven by What Car? magazine editor Jim Holder. As one of the official sponsors of the event,
What Car? will be competing again this year and hoping to retain its crown.

A full list of the cars taking part this year hasn't been announced, but those confirmed include the Nissan Leaf, Vauxhall Ampera, Gordon Murray Design T.25, Toyota iQ EV prototype and Radical SRZero.

The event will culminate in a display in London's Regent Street, which will be closed to traffic from 11am to 4pm. Here, the public will have a chance to look at the cars and the category winners will be announced.

Also on display will be a selection of 100 of the cars taking part in the following day's London to Brighton veteran car run, giving visitors a chance to look at the past - as well as the future - of motoring. Last year's event attracted around 250,000 visitors and a similar number is expected this year.
For more information, visit www.futurecarchallenge.com