Britain’s greenest-ever rally is taking place in Wales this week…
Robin Roberts reports.
The Green Dragon EV Rally is exclusively for hydrogen and pure electric cars and is based in Swansea, where Sir William Robert Grove invented the fuel cell in the 1840s.
The event also breaks ground as it’s not only the first low carbon rally to be held in Britain, but it also allows any driver with a battery electric vehicle or hydrogen car or van to enter without a competition licence.
Manufacturers have entered the three hydrogen car models in Britain now, a Toyota Mirai, Hyundai Nexo and Riversimple Rasa.
Local dealers for electric vehicles on sale have also signed up to take part and put models into the streets surrounding Castle Gardens, Swansea where the groundbreaking event will start at 10am on Saturday 24 August.
The night before there will be a Future is Electric Forum at the city’s Dylan Thomas Centre where spectators can view some of the competing cars and talk to crews and organisers before a Q&A in DTC where experts will update the audience on the current ev-scene in the UK.
The following morning after being flagged away from Castle Gardens, the competitors will drive a road route around Gower Peninsula, take part in a series of autotests and finish under the chequered flag in the city centre, where the winner will get the Sir William Robert Grove commemoration trophy. While the Gower tour is taking place, spectators can view the competition exhibits in the streets, including the first homologated e Rally Zoe.
The event is being promoted by the newly formed Wales-based Low Carbon MC and the on-ground organisation is being administered by Maesteg MC. Event spokesman Peter Hughes of the LCMC said, “Sir William Robert Grove was ahead of his time inventing the fuel cell and Swansea is ahead in Britain today supporting and hosting the Green Dragon EV Rally & Show.
“Electric and hydrogen cars are the future of motoring not only in Wales and Britain, but the rest of the world and we wanted to show drivers of today and tomorrow what is available now to cut their costs and clean up our roads, towns and cities, and there will be a number of high performance electric competition cars on display as well.”
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