The 47th edition of the Dakar has set a date for the world's rally-raiders in Saudi Arabia from 3 to 17 January.
More information:
https://www.dakar.com
https://www.facebook.com/Dakar
https://www.twitter.com/Dakar
https://www.instagram.com/DakarRally
#Dakar2025
© Amaury Sport Organisation - https://www.aso.fr
More information:
https://www.dakar.com
https://www.facebook.com/Dakar
https://www.twitter.com/Dakar
https://www.instagram.com/DakarRally
#Dakar2025
© Amaury Sport Organisation - https://www.aso.fr
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SportTranscription
00:00The goal is to finish the Dakar, gain lots of experience, discover problems and see how
00:12we can improve the car as much as possible.
00:19Former enduro star Antoine Mayo has embarked on an ambitious new project this year, driving
00:24an Apache Hybrid in the Challenger class.
00:27It's funny, it started here at the Dakar two years ago.
00:33An engineer who had worked on the conception of the car showed me some 3D photos.
00:38He explained that it would be a hybrid car running in the Challengers.
00:44I thought, he's completely crazy.
00:47He called me two months later when the car had been built.
00:49We did the first tests in April and two years later we're on the Dakar.
00:59Apache is the association of three big engineering and financial groups
01:03who've invested in the manufacture of this car.
01:06It's a European project because one of the financial backers is in Belgium
01:10and all of the engineers are based in France.
01:13It's a hybrid vehicle.
01:14The front wheels are driven by an electric motor.
01:17There's a big battery pack in the middle under the seats
01:19and part of it is permanently powered by the engine.
01:22When energy is lost, if we are braking or slowing down, the engine inverses
01:27and instead of taking energy, it sends it to the battery pack.
01:33We've almost found the right balance.
01:35Yesterday, for example, we managed to keep the battery pack in the middle
01:38and the engine is now in the middle.
01:40Yesterday, for example, we managed to keep the battery charge
01:43at between 45 and 60 percent the whole time.
01:46The idea is to carry 20 litres fewer than the others in the class
01:49but even with less fuel, to still be able to cover the same distance.
01:58The bodywork is made up of linen fibres so it's not carbon
02:01and the dashboard and all the components are made from recycled carbon.
02:05We're really trying to lower our carbon impact so the car is a bit greener.
02:11We've had some tough moments, I won't lie.
02:13The car is still in its infancy so we've been living in the twilight of the Dakar,
02:18arriving at night and that's not always fun.
02:22Mainly small issues linked to short circuiting,
02:25which means waiting for the battery to restart.
02:27So yes, we've lost some time but we've gained a huge amount of experience.
02:36In the early part of the specials, we're now fighting with the top crews
02:38in the category so the car is really starting to perform.
02:43The goals for the car to win the Dakar in the T3s as soon as possible
02:47and to see more and more of them here.
02:49I'd love to show that we can succeed in a hybrid car
02:52which uses less petrol and reduces our carbon footprint.
03:08you