VUB Racing presents its new sustainable racing car
Phaëton is self-driving and radically ecological
VUB Racing students presented their new Formula Student race car "Phaëton" this week. The electric bolide was unveiled during the team's annual rollout and is due to compete in international Formula Student races in Germany and Switzerland this summer.
Phaëton is the latest prototype from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel student team, which has been fully committed to sustainable racing cars for several years. Like previous generations, the car combines electric propulsion with innovative materials and a distinct "built, not bought" philosophy: students design and build as many parts as possible themselves. "We put a huge effort into our self-driving car this year," says team manager Mathias Van Hauwe. "That paid off. For the first time we were able to make our car drive itself without a pilot, which is a huge achievement."
Notable is the thorough focus on sustainability. Whereas classic racing cars mainly use carbon fibre, VUB Racing deliberately opts for biocomposites based on flax fibres. According to the team, flax fibre production reduces CO₂ emissions by a factor of 37 compared to traditional carbon fibre. By combining those natural fibres with a bio-resin, the students developed composite parts with a significantly smaller carbon footprint. Those materials will be used in various parts of the car's aerodynamic components.
"We believe that true sustainability goes beyond words alone," the team echoes. "With our car, we want to show that high-performance engineering and sustainability can go perfectly well together."
The new race car was developed by a multidisciplinary student team with profiles from engineering, electronics, computer science, communications and economics. For months, the students worked on simulations, aerodynamics, electronics and the electric powertrain in the FabLab Brussels on the VUB campus, where they used 3D printers, CNC machines (a computer-controlled machine that can machine materials such as metal, wood, plastic or stone very precisely, among others. CNC stands for Computer Numerical Control) and laser cutters.
Formula Student is regarded worldwide as one of the most prestigious engineering competitions for students. Teams are judged not only on speed, but also on energy efficiency, innovation, engineering and the complete design of the car. With Phaëton, VUB Racing aims to impress internationally on the circuits of Germany and Switzerland next summer. "Germany is the most prestigious race within our competition," Van Hauwe knows. "We have worked hard to qualify for this, so we are extremely proud to be able to take part in this as a Brussels team."
More info:
vubracing@vub.be
Frans Steenhoudt
