There is a mad dash to end production of the gas-powered engine.
And until recently everyone assumed all motor vehicles would be electric.
But now Ford’s return to F1 racing may keep the internal combustion engine alive for decades to come.
The frantic race to convert all automobiles to electric has hit a few speed bumps along the way.
Radical leftists have been largely successful in pushing electric vehicles (EVs) on Americans.
But some recent developments have pumped the brakes on the all-out drive for EVs.
And now, Ford may be leading the pack in new technologies that could save the internal combustion engine.
Ford, with Red Bull as a lead sponsor, is heading back to Formula One racing and is developing technologies that could keep the internal combustion engine roaring for decades to come.
While Ford is currently spending tens of billions of dollars on battery-powered vehicles in the coming years it has not committed to going all-electric like other automakers.
Current Formula One cars use hybrid power systems that are set to become more electric when new regulations go into effect in 2026.
That also happens to be the year Ford joins the series.
Ford CEO Jim Farley recently told FOX News Digital the lessons learned designing motors, batteries and optimized aerodynamics for the race cars will be applied to its street legal hybrid vehicles to make them more efficient.
“Formula One is a great marketing platform, but best of all, it’s a good technology-exchange platform,” Farley told Fox.
But Ford is not stopping production of its gas and diesel vehicles just yet.
Farley says the auto industry is not “monolithic” and electric drivetrains are not suitable for every customer, especially those that tow or are just looking for the sound and fury of a V8.
In other words, truck, and muscle car owners.
“. . . we want these loyal customers who own F-150s and Broncos and Mustangs to continue to have a great experience,” Farley said.
And it’s not just talk for Ford.
While Dodge gets set to replace its V8 muscle cars with the electric Charger Daytona SRT next year, Ford is introducing a new 2024 Mustang that will only be available with either a gasoline-fueled V8 or turbocharged four-cylinder engine.
And now, thanks to Ford’s return to Formula One that could be the case for the next Mustang as well.
This is due to one of the new things happening in F1 racing.
The F1 series is switching to a synthetic carbon-neutral fuel in 2026 that limits carbon emission to only what is used to produce it.
Formula One hasn’t revealed exactly the type of fuel it will use, but Porsche recently showed off a 911 using a new synthetic fuel made at a wind-powered plant in the Chilean desert that captures carbon from the atmosphere to create a net-zero fuel.
This fuel could be used by any car designed to burn gasoline without any modifications needed.
Mark Rushbrook, the global director of Ford Performance Motorsports, told Fox News Digital the new synthetic fuel was a big reason why Ford got interested in joining Formula One.
“So it’s an important emphasis for us to, as we keep these combustion engines, to do it in a responsible way and this step into Formula One will help us as well,” Rushbrook said.
Muscle car and truck enthusiasts can be heartened by Ford’s position and only hope Dodge and other automakers follow suit.
Stay tuned to Right News Wire for any updates to this ongoing story.
