The Duke of Cambridge experienced the excitement of electric motor sport first-hand as he visited Fife’s famous Knockhill racing circuit on Saturday.
Prince William was had the thrill of test-driving an Odyssey 21 electric vehicle on the Fife racetrack as part of his week-long visit to Scotland.
He also learned about pioneering work to create an environmentally sustainable motorsport.
Alejandro Agag, founder and chief executive of Extreme E, the FIA-sanctioned international off-road racing series and Adam Bond, chief executive of AFC Energy, were on hand to show the Prince how the ground-breaking technology enables the championship’s race fleet to be charged using zero-emission energy.
Pioneering green technology
The vehicles are powered by a fuel cell which uses just water and the sun to generate hydrogen power, then used to charge all the SUVs off the grid at races.
This process emits zero greenhouse emissions and its only by-product is water.
His Royal Highness also met George Imafidon, a junior engineer on Lewis Hamilton’s X44 team, before climbing behind the wheel of the electric race vehicle with driver Catie Munnings, who competes for the Andretti United Extreme E team.
Once accustomed to the car, the Prince, kitted out in racing one piece and helmet, was allowed to put the super charged SUV through its paces on Knockhill’s 4×4 track.
Wheel spins
Enjoying the experience of the open track, the Prince was witnessed putting the vehicle through its paces on a number of drive pasts, wheel spinning the vehicle on several occasions and even managing to clip one of the advertising hoardings on the chicane.
Asked as he climbed out of the car how he found the experience the prince joked: “I’m going to apply for a job.”
He added: “That’s my kind of racing, the track’s the track and with tarmac and all but with that little but of dirt and the sliding around it was awesome.”
He even acknowledged the hoarding incident, joking that he’s not wanted to hold back.
Scottish Cup
Earlier on Saturday Prince William highlighted the importance of speaking with family members as he met emergency service heroes to watch the Scottish Cup final.
William spoke to first responders and their families at Cold Town House in Edinburgh on Saturday to say thank you for their hard work during the pandemic.
He chatted while watching St Johnstone defeat Hibernian 1-0, with the game shown on big screens in the rooftop bar by Edinburgh Castle.
Speaking to a table of first responders, William asked how they had kept in touch with families during lockdown.
He said: “The funny thing is, when I spoke to my family I found it so good to catch up, but then you haven’t anything to catch up on because no-one had done anything.”
The duke also took time before the match began to speak to communications manager Kirsten Walker, 36, and her sister, police officer Lindsay Walker, 39, whose father Brian Walker took his own life in June 2018 aged 68.
First of two Royal visits to Fife
William’s visit to Fife is part of a week-long Royal tour of Scotland celebrating those who have “gone above and beyond to support their communities” during the pandemic.
He is joined by the Duchess of Cambridge on Monday for the rest of the tour.
Later in the week, William and Kate will rekindle fond memories with a visit to St Andrews University, where the couple first met 20 years ago.
The Knockhill visit also offered the Prince some respite from the media storm engulfing the BBC regarding how it came to secure the infamous Princess Diana interview with Martin Bashir.
Prince William has been highly critical of the BBC blaming it for worsening his parents’ relationship and impacting on his mother’s health.