The image of electric cars as slow, small vehicles with limited range is outdated. Today, engineers are competing to create the fastest electric race cars. Recently, a team of 30 students from ETH Zurich and the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts developed and built an electric race car named “grimsel” that set a new acceleration record of zero to 100 km/h in just 1.513 seconds. The car participated in the “Formula Student” competition, the world’s largest engineering student competition with over 500 teams. Since 2010, electric vehicles have had their own category in the competition.
Grimsel’s success is due to its unique design, which prioritizes weight reduction. The car is made almost entirely of carbon fiber and weighs only 168 kilograms. The students also developed their own wheel hub motors, which provide a total of 200 horsepower and 1700 Newton meters of torque. The car’s all-wheel drive system and traction control allow for quick acceleration without losing control. Additionally, the car is energy-efficient, with regenerative braking that recovers about 30% of the energy used.
The grimsel’s record-breaking acceleration time of 1.513 seconds is a significant achievement for electric race cars. The car’s design and technology make it not only fast but also agile and energy-efficient. This success demonstrates the potential of electric vehicles in the racing industry and highlights the importance of innovation and engineering in creating sustainable transportation solutions.
