The Formula Student is a worldwide competition in which teams from different countries participate. Student team HyDriven, formerly Green Team Twente, is the only team from the competition that will appear at the start with a hydrogen car. The team's goal is clear. 'Crossing the finish line and finishing the race', says Daan van der Meijden, Vehicle Dynamics Engineer. 'The motor part is one of the most difficult. A lot of teams often drop out of that. If we manage to make it to the finish line in that event, we will already be in the middle of the table. We immediately demonstrate the reliability of our engine. Despite our speed, hydrogen is a decent alternative.'
Ready, set, go
The hydrogen car will face a major test on three static and four dynamic components. Last July, the team tested these components during a race in the Netherlands. For example, the vehicle has to squeeze through all kinds of curves over a course and the car races over a go-kart track with obstacles. 'The biggest challenge for us is the dynamic components. Especially at the points of acceleration, because our car carries a lot of weight. Who has the fastest car is not the most important thing in this race', says Van der Meijden. 'It's also about the budget plan. How efficiently is the car built?’
The HyDriven team built the car in one year. The first race was only scheduled three weeks ago, but now it is ready to perform in France. The first days of the competition are dominated by several inspections. After that, the lights will turn green. On September 1st, we will know which team will win the French Grand Prix.
