SEM-01

This was the team’s first car to compete in the Shell Eco Marathon 2019.

body and Chassis

The chassis consisted of a carbon fibre monocoque construction to maximise stiffness whilst reducing weight. This was manufactured at the Advanced Materials Research Centre (AMRC).

The shape of the body was optimised using CFD software to maximise aerodynamic efficiency, based on the car’s average velocity.

Mechanical propulsion

The car used a 10:1 planetary gear to step the motor down from 3000rpm to 300rpm, equivalent to the average track speed. This was connected to the wheel via a chain and sprocket mechanism.

The wheels for the car were specially designed for the competition by Michelin, one of the competition sponsors.

Controls

The control system was one of the most innovative aspects of the car. This integrated a real time feedback system which determined the most efficient speed at any point on the track and relayed this information to the driver via a “speed up/slow down” display.