THE SUMMER OF FORMULA ELECTRIC BELGIUM

STUDENT IN FOCUS

The Aurora Mikir, the thirteenth electric car of the Formula Electric Belgium team, survived its baptism of fire on the European racetracks well. In the Czech Republic, there was even a podium finish. “A great performance for a car full of untried high tech”, says team leader Remko Schippers.

In spring, the 29 Formula Electric Belgium engineering students unveiled their latest creation. A racing car equipped with a completely new aerodynamic package, super-light rims, more efficient cooling of the batteries and the motors, 11% more electrical power, the latest glass reinforced composites, an innovative suspension, ingenious control systems, ... together accounting for 200 kg of high-tech with an acceleration capacity of 2.6 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h. With this car, the team participated last summer in the international Formula Student Competition 2021, a series of competitions in which student teams from all over the world compete against each other with self-built electric racing cars.

Static and dynamic

“Unlike F1 races or similar, the Formula Student Competition is not a classic race,” Remko explains. “Not only the performance of the car, but also the qualities of the team are tested and judged in two series of tests or ‘events’. During the dynamic ‘events’, the acceleration capacity of the car, the road holding and the endurance, among other things, are examined. The static ‘events’ are used to evaluate the design, the cost, and the business plan. During the presentation of your plan, you must be able to convince the jury to invest in your project. In the previous editions of the competition, we always scored well on design, acceleration and business plan because we design and build our cars ourselves”.

To be admitted to the dynamic tests, the car is first subjected to a thorough scrutineering. “You can consider it as an entrance exam or -better still- as a highly technical inspection that takes up two to three days of the competition week. After each test, it is nail-biting waiting for the verdict of the jury”, says Remko.

Podium place

On the circuit of Most in the Czech Republic, the team from Leuven took on 45 other teams from ten countries. The dreaded scrutineering went off without a hitch, as did the static tests. Result: two second places in Engineering Design and Cost & Manufacturing. The dynamic events started promising with a third place in the Autocross and a place in the top 5 of the Skid Pad Test and the Acceleration Test. “We could have done even better, had we been able to complete the 22 km long Endurance”, Remko remarks. “Unfortunately, when we changed pilots halfway through the race, the battery suddenly failed. Without that setback, we would have finished near the top. As is often the case, the devil was in the tail.

From the Czech Republic, the team travelled on to Hungary for the Formula Student Competition East at the Hungaroring racetrack. “It promised to be even more exciting”, says Remko. “The scrutineering had been reduced by one day for organisational reasons, so even more pressure of time. And on the participants list there were all the top teams of the moment, each with solid racing experience and several victories on their record”.

For the Belgian team, the race in Hungary was almost a copy of the race in the Czech Republic. Everything went according to plan until, during the Endurance Test, a stray cone on the road blocked the passage. Since the competition rules do not allow technical interventions during the race, the Aurora MkII had to pull over irrevocably. “Bad luck, otherwise, we would have had a clear round”, Remko regrets.

Reliable

After the summer competitions, the team members still look back on the European adventure with satisfaction. “We have mainly gained a lot of experience and have also grown as a team,” Remko puts into perspective. “That is why we are convinced that we will be better prepared in 2022. Over the next few months, we will be working hard to perfect the reliability of the new car. This means that we will be scrutinising each part of the car and building on these innovations. A year of innovation, then 2022 will be a year of consolidation. And targeting a place in the top five”.

Yves Persoons