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Wellington College’s aspiring engineers are currently building two cars for the upcoming Greenpower Racing series. One car is a flagship ‘scratch-built’ carbon fibre monocoque car named ‘The Beef,’ being built by ten Lower sixth form students. The other car is a simpler kit car named ‘The Eagle,’ being built by a combined team of fifth and lower sixth form students. Both cars are currently undergoing real-world testing to finish construction, and the team hopes to race both cars in the 2023 season, which is set to begin in April.
The Greenpower Racing series is a competition that inspires young minds to pursue careers in engineering, science, and technology through the exciting world of motorsport. This platform provides school students with the opportunity to develop teamwork and collaboration skills while designing and building battery-powered electric racing vehicles to compete against other schools in endurance races.
Around 300 schools from both the independent and public sectors compete nationally, making it one of the most significant school-level engineering competitions in the UK. Students get to race at some of the country’s most famous tracks, including Goodwood, Silverstone, Castle Combe, Dunsfold, and Lotus Hethel/Ford Dunton test tracks.
The cars can be scratch-built or based around a pre-designed kit car chassis. The goal is to complete as many laps as possible in a 90 or 60-minute race on only one pair of batteries. The race car’s design and build must comply with strict regulations around safety equipment and undergo an intensive ‘scrutineering’ check before racing. All teams are required to use the same standard battery pack and motor to keep the competition fair.
The key to creating a winning car comes down to reducing aerodynamic drag and rolling resistance while matching gear ratios to the tracks and conditions at hand. Driver skill and efficient pit stops also play a crucial role, with a minimum of three driver changes required in a race, highlighting the importance of teamwork.
The Wellington team estimates that their flagship car will achieve an average speed of 35mph for a 1 hour 30 minute race, with peak speeds of 40mph+. They are currently conducting testing on the Km at Wellington to get the ideal gear ratio dialled in. The team is proud of their work, with every element of the flagship car being designed and manufactured ‘in-house’ by students using Wellington’s outstanding DET workshop facilities.
Robert Winters, the Head of DET, has been the driving force behind this initiative and emphasises the significance of this program.
“The Greenpower Racing series is a fantastic opportunity for students to explore their potential in the field of engineering while having fun. By working in teams and collaborating with peers, students can develop crucial skills such as communication, problem-solving, and creativity.”
