Formula Student Electric
Focus-Project of IVP in Manufacturing Technologies
The aim of the focus project is to go through the entire planning and manufacturing chain of a product using the example of an electrically powered formula racing car according to SAE guidelines, from project planning to the realization of a prototype.
In order to be able to realize such a complex project, a large set of tasks have to be organized and implemented. They range from financing by sponsors and the development of technical solutions to the actual construction, production and test drives of the race car. While the technical challenges that come with building a race car are at the heart of the focus project, the business aspect i.e. developing a business idea from a business plan to the production of a small series will also be addressed at Formula Student events.
Overall 14 such vehicles have been built at ETH as part of Formula Student projects so far. In the 2020/2021 season, 11 MAVT and ITET students are working on this interesting and challenging project in two focus projects. They benefit from the extensive know-how of the members of the AMZ, who have worked on Formula Student projects in previous years.
The development of the car is carried out in several modules (drive, chassis, chassis, electronics, ...), each of which comprises 3-5 focus students. The team is supported by electrical engineering and business students from the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences for the electronics module and the organization.
The project begins with team organization, setting goals and gaining basic knowledge. This is followed by a concept phase, which is completed with detailed CAD drawings and FEA simulations validating the design. After the production phase, the race car is assembled and tested extensively during spring, assuring optimal preparation for the races. Competent "veterans" (former focus students, members of the AMZ), as well as internal and external consultants are at their side throughout the project.
The current racing car named “alvier” will compete against more than 100 teams from all over the world in 4 events on international race tracks (e.g. Hockenheim or Spielberg) in the Formula Student Electric this summer. Besides the competiton, this provides a unique opportunity to discuss the respective technical implementation with experts from motor sports. The Formula Student team of ETH Zurich has been amongst the top teams in the world for the last 10 years.
We are excited to offer you this opportunity of applying your know-how in a fascinating project. If you are happy to tackle technical challenges and work with other enthusiastic engineers, we look forward to welcoming you to the team!
