We all know Lewis Hamilton as the current British champion of Formula 1 motor racing. But his latest venture has seen him go off the circuit track where we’re usually more likely to see him.
He has just announced his formation of a team called X44 (named you will note, after his F1 racing number), for the new Extreme E off-road buggy racing series, which takes place at five different remote locations around the world which have been affected by climate change and the environmental impacts of this.
They’ll compete in their debut season from next year, and Lewis has spoken excitedly about his involvement. Lewis stated that he hopes that through taking part, they’ll be able to ‘help raise awareness of some of the most critical environmental issues facing our planet’ and do something proactive by working with ‘local charitable organisations to leave behind no trace and a long-lasting legacy of change’.
The buggies used in the Extreme E series are powered on electric hybrid engines, making them a far cleaner alternative to say, the conventional fuel powered Off Road Buggy we offer to book for driving experience days.
However, there are two supercars in our fleet at Driving Experience, which showcase the forward thinking vision for the future of some motoring giants, particularly with the global concerns around climate change and the environment.
These models are pioneering in their technology, engineering and commitment to lowering of emissions, but as you’ll see, they definitely don’t skimp on power, performance and enjoyment.
The BMW i8 is one of these. Available to book across a selection of Blast and Thrill packages for Adult and Junior drivers from just £49, this car was launched as part of the German supercar marque’s new ‘BMW i’ division, to focus on their ‘Project I’ fleet of electric cars.
Powered on a 7.1 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, offering 374 bhp, with surprisingly fast top speeds of around 159 mph, and super fast acceleration from 0 - 60 mph in under 5 seconds. It’s since sold over 20,000 units worldwide at time of writing, and was also named BBC Top Gear’s Car of the Year in 2014.
One name in motoring that’s been at the forefront of electric powered cars is of course American hybrid electric giants Tesla. Their Model S P90D performance car, which has been in production since 2012, has sold over 250,000 units worldwide.
Available for both a 14 lap Driving Experience and a Supercar Passenger Ride package at our Bovingdon Airfield venue in Hertfordshire, this boasts one of the quickest acceleration times of any hybrid vehicle, scoring from 0 - 60 mph in a rapid 2.6 seconds.
Powering out a phenomenal 762 bhp, the Model S reaches top speeds of around 155 mph - putting it in the same league if not better than many of the leading performance cars that are powered on fuel.
Hopefully, as automotive manufacturers progress, innovate and move things forward, these two cars will be the first of many hybrid powered vehicles that we’ll have available in our fleet at Driving Experience for you to drive or ride in on an unforgettable driving experience day.
