Author: Andy Green, Manufacturing Engineer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering
Green Bath Racing attended the Shell International Eco-marathon in May, where they achieved 8th overall in the Battery Electric prototype category, and best UK team. The vehicle achieve a 'fuel consumption' of 696km/kWh which is the best result ever achieved in the Battery-electric prototype category by a UK team. The previous best stood at 565 km/kWh by University of Oxford from 2013. This impressive result is some 100 times better than a standard small commercially available electric car.

Marie Ringard drove the vehicle around the racetrack at the Nogaro circuit in south France for ten laps (around 1 mile per lap) at a minimum average speed of 25 Km/hr. The amount of energy consumed was measured accurately and the result calculated.
Having not entered in this category before, the team did not know what to expect, so were very pleased to do so well. As a result of the success two members of the team (Nils Mallet and Gauthier Charbon) were invited to spend a day at the Silverstone Grand Prix, meeting Carlos Sainz and interviewing Ollie Bearman (Ferrari reserve driver).

The majority of the team that were able to go to France were members of the 3rd year GBDP that designed a Hydrogen Fuel Cell powertrain. Next year, the team plans to compete again in the Battery Electric category, but is also planning to develop their practical experience in Hydrogen Fuel Cells and run 1 or 2 Final Year Projects to get a fuel cell powertrain up a running. There is already a small fuel cell in the department and we're very supportive for the projects to happen.
Next year's event is due to be in Poland, so that will be a new challenge!
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