2023-08-15 11:00:25
A student automobile racing team from Quebec has set out to conquer Europe. Champion of the big event in Michigan in June, it will now rub shoulders with the know-how of the great universities of the old continent.
“We won the equivalent of the Gray Cup on the Michigan track. Now, we are going to fight in the Super Bowl of our discipline”, image with aggressiveness and passion the captain of the formation of the school of superior technology of Montreal (ÉTS), Simon Aubin-Lavoie, in interview with The newspaper before leaving for Hungary, Austria, Germany and Croatia.
At the Michigan International Circuit where the major North American Formula SAE electric competition took place in mid-June, ÉTS literally wiped out its 66 opponents. The Montreal team edged Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh by 156 points.
École Polytechnique Montréal finished 11th at 494.7 points while Laval University and McGill University also finished in the top 20.
Courtesy ETS
A whole car
ÉTS’ electric-only racing car named MANIC-23 is frankly at the cutting edge of technology, having stood out in the majority of the eight categories of the evaluation grid. It stands out in particular in its acceleration speed over 75 meters, on lateral acceleration, its speed on the circuit, its endurance and its energy efficiency.
“This year, we have made the car more efficient by reducing its mass by more than 17%, explains the captain, speaking of his jewel on four wheels, light years from the soapbox. We used a different manufacturing process and installed more carbon parts.
“The result of the competition in Michigan proved all our efforts,” continues the man who has participated in the Formula ÉTS project for four years. We gave a strong performance in all events. It shows where we are at.”
Screenshot Formula ÉTS
For years, the members of this team have taken pride in constantly pushing their processes. They always want to design the lightest vehicle. She has distinguished herself in many competitions over the years.
On small circuits that are narrower and more winding than the racing circuits of F1 and other series, the MANIC-23 offers impressive images and thrills to the drivers.
“The maximum speed of the vehicle is close to 120 km/h, but above all it must be optimized for a speed of 60 km/h. It is preferable to build a single-seater that is stable at medium speed rather than favoring high speed,” points out Aubin-Lavoie.
Courtesy ETS
One car for two markets
Interestingly, the ÉTS team manufactured and assembled a single-seater meeting the requirements of both North American and European markets. However, the competition on the old continent is stronger since the teams are frequently supported by major car manufacturers such as the Volkswagen group and the BMW group.
The teams are also larger as they approach almost a hundred members. That of the ÉTS has about thirty. Only a fraction of it flew to Europe. The other is already busy with the next upcoming projects and the 2024 prototype.
Courtesy ETS
Throughout the month of August, she will participate in three different events. The competition on the site of the Hungaroring circuit, in Hungary in the first week of August, made it possible to effectively prepare for the big return to the Hockenheim circuit in Germany for the “Formula Student Germany” event this week. This is considered the Super Bowl of the discipline.
It will bring together nearly 75 teams from Europe, Asia and America. ÉTS and the University of Toronto will be the only Canadian representatives.
Goal: top 10
“We are going there to perform, because we are convinced that we have a reliable vehicle that has proven itself in competition, says Aubin-Lavoie. It’s a big month of August that we’ve been preparing for for a long time. Our team has the knowledge and experience required to be successful.
“If we finish in the top 10 of the events, we would be very proud, he continues. Especially in Germany.”
After four years in this extracurricular program, it will be a real icing on the cake. sundae of this civil engineering student passionate about car racing.
Courtesy ETS
What is Formula SAE?
It is a university engineering competition organized by the Society of Automotive Engineers. More than 600 universities across the globe are involved. Each team must design and manufacture a vehicle in accordance with specific rules.
How does Formula SAE work?
A high performance car is graded according to dynamic (on-track) and static tests.
Dynamics (675 points)
– Acceleration: speed over 75 meters
– Skid-pad: cornering skills to measure lateral acceleration
– Autocross: speed on a racing circuit with turns, hairpins, straights, etc. The best time is recorded
– Endurance: over 22 km. The time is also recorded
– Efficiency: evaluation according to the amount of energy consumed during the 22 km endurance test.
Static (325 points)
– Marketing presentation: writing a business plan for potential investors. The commercial advantages of the vehicle are put forward in order to meet market demands. The profitability, feasibility and costs of the project are noted.
– Cost report: cost and revenue of car implementation stages (design and manufacture) according to a balanced budget for an engineering project.
– Design: assessment of engineering knowledge and effort in vehicle design. The panel of judges must be convinced of its effectiveness and performance
The ÉTS electric single-seater in brief
MANIC-23
395 livres (179,1 kg)
4 motors developing 35 kW at each wheel
Power of 140 kW limited by algorithm to 80 kW (107 horsepower)
Acceleration 0-100 in less than 3 seconds
Maximum speed: 117hm/h
Vehicle optimization at 60 km/h
Monocoque carbon fiber frame
16 inch wheels
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