Group T: CQS Racing Team Develops Car Technology of the Future - PART 1
Saturday, 15 May 2010 | Leadership in Engineering
The Wall Street Journal Europe Future Leadership Institute invited students from University College Group T, Leuven, Belgium, to write about their experiences building environmentally-friendly race cars.
Two new environmentally-friendly race cars in the pipeline
After three Solar Teams, the Formula Zero Team and the Vehicle Design Summit Team, no fewer than 31 GROUP T master's students and four bachelor's students of the Antwerp Karel de Grote University College have joined forces to build two new environmentally friendly race cars. The base will be the chassis from the legendary Citroën ‘Deux Chevaux' (2CV). The team wants to convert the 2CV, an icon from car history, into an electric and a hybrid car. In October 2010, both cars will participate in the 24 hours of 2CVs on the Francorchamps circuit.
GROUP T has a thing with cars. After the solar car, the Formula Zero Kart and the super environmentally friendly Vision, there is yet again an ambitious project in the pipeline: the development of a hybrid and an electric drive train to be built into two race cars. The hybrid train will be placed in the ‘Pegasus', the electric one in the ‘Odyssee'.
Cele Van den Haute and Sietze Swolfs are the team leaders of the Pegasus and the Odyssee. They coordinate the different departments, lead the meetings and work closely together with the coaches within and outside of GROUP T. They are also responsible for public relations, sponsoring and finances.
Sustainable technologies
For Sietze and Cele, it is crystal clear: the fossil fuels era is over. "Driving cheaply, CO2 reduction, lower environmental impact, sustainable development, this is what is keeping people awake these days. Our technological developments must act as a trigger for students, engineers and entrepreneurs to invest in sustainable technologies. Also we want to convince the larger public that hybrid and electric cars are fully fledged alternatives."
The CQS GROUP T Racing Team grew from two existing vehicle projects at GROUP T, the Vehicle Design Summit Team and the Student 2CV Team. The first team had been part of the global VDS network for two years. The members worked together with some of the most prestigious universities and companies to achieve an exceptionally environmentally friendly six-capacity car. It was intended for the Indian and the Chinese markets. The main objective of the Vision car was to accomplish a minimal life-cycle impact. The prototype was ready in the summer of 2008.
Optimizing old-timers
The Student 2CV Team took another approach. Their passion for small old-timers gave them the idea to modernize and optimize aged technologies. The objective was the development of an intelligent flexi-fuel multipoint injection system for the Citroën 2CV. As a result, it is possible to drive on bioethanol. In addition, a hybrid 2CV was constructed which drives entirely on electricity in the city. While these projects were evolving, an online monitoring system was also being developed which formed the perfect base on which to build in the racing world.
"By starting from this specific existing chassis, the design possibilities are practically limitless and there is a maximal flexibility", Geert Waeyenbergh, professor at GROUP T and coach of the team, remarks. "After World War II, the Citroën 2CV meant the democratization of the automobile. No longer a toy for the rich but accessible to all. The CQS GROUP T Racing Team now also wants to popularize the hybrid and electronic technology with this project. At the same time, they are also updating and upgrading the cultural and historic value of the old-timers which are often considered to be environmentally unfriendly. By making the required technical adjustments we can indeed meet the environmental standards without touching too much of the car's authenticity."
Race upholstery
"The Pegasus team members are building the hybrid version", Cele explains. "The injection team will optimize the multipoint injection system this academic year along with the programmable injection CPU. This system must ensure the optimal injection ratios and timings of the biofuel. We are also preparing the combustion engine for racing and will design an optimal pressure feed so that we can run it on E85 (85% bioethanol and 15% gasoline)."
"The Odyssee team members will apply the finishing touches to the SRM engine", Sietze explains. "This geared reluctance engine will be the heart of the electric drive train. The concept of this engine with a super low-life-cycle cost was designed by the VDS team and is now in production. We will also carry out an energy study and a vibration analysis. In addition, we are searching for a suitable battery pack and an adjoining Battery Management System. We will fit the Odyssees with an innovative battery exchange system. The sum of these critical components will allow us to realize the electric drive train."
Two-year master path
More than half of the GROUP T students of the Racing Team spread their master's program over two academic years. "GROUP T's two-year master path creates the optimal circumstances to set up such ambitious projects and see them through", Geert Waeyenbergh says. "This formula, which is unique in Flanders, makes it possible to supplement the regular one-year master's program with an extended learning path in a company. We call this an Entrepreneurial Engineering Experience. For two extra semesters, the master's students can do their own thing as engineers and entrepreneurs. Anyone who completes this path will have a great head start when he or she begins his or her career."
Y.P.
