After many days and nights of hard work, the time has come: the Formula Student team "HSNR Racing" has presented its new RS-24e racing car to the public. Even the surname of the car gives it away: This year, the racing team is competing for the first time with an electric car in the international Formula Student racing series.
Many familiar faces attended the big party in the main auditorium of Krefeld South Campus. In addition to proud parents and team sponsors, numerous alumni also found their way to Krefeld to attend the unveiling of the new racing car.
Unlike in previous years, the team members were not able to build on the previous year's model in a big way when constructing the car. "The biggest challenge was the complete switch to electromobility. That requires new developments. Equipment, training and know-how," says Kai Lüning, head of the HSNR racing team and student at the Faculty of Mechanical and Process Engineering. Another factor was time: other university teams already had doubts as to whether it was even possible to build a driving electric car within a year.
Major changes had to be made to convert the car, which weighs around 190 kilograms, to electric mobility: The team developed its own battery as well as its own planetary gearbox (also known as an epicyclic gearbox). To create space for the new components, the team made changes to the vehicle frame.
The team will see whether the hard work of the past few months has paid off in the Formula Student racing series. The racing calendar includes the race in Most in the Czech Republic (August 5-10) and a week later the race at the Hockenheimring (Germany, August 12-18).
In the international Formula Student racing series, around 600 university teams worldwide compete for pole position with their self-developed and constructed vehicles. It's all about acceleration, speed, endurance, cornering behavior, production or even economic aspects such as a business plan.
