What’s a go-kart race without the scream of high-performance engines and the whiff of exhaust fumes? It’s Formula Zero. Created by two Dutch designers, with Royal Dutch Shell as a sponsor, the event replaces emissions-spewing internal combustion engines with hydrogen fuel cells – it’s a green alternative to traditional kart racing. Just as flying circuses of the early 1900s pitched aviation to a dubious public, Formula Zero aims to win fuel cell fans. You supply the location, and they’ll show up with a 600-meter racetrack, seating for 1,000, pits, karts, drivers, and hydrogen generators. As full-size fuel cell vehicles gain wider adoption, organizers would like to see Formula Zero expand from go-karts to become a world-class racing series. Hey, airplanes became pretty popular.
– Michael Spinelli
credit: Maria Bunning
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Go, Green Racer, Go!
