Green Team Twente builds race car of the future

The TT circuit in Assen, the Red Bull Racing Ring in Austria, and Hockenheim in Germany. They are all iconic race tracks. Green Team Twente's bright green race car will whizz over these famous tracks in July and August. The team participated in the Shell Eco Marathon for years, but they have a new challenge now: the Formula Student. A racing competition in which cars developed by students compete against each other. Green Team Twente is a bit of an oddity compared to the other teams. They are the only ones developing a race car that runs on hydrogen. "Previous teams always focused on the Shell Eco Marathon, where we won many prizes", says Extern & Finance Manager Rob Overgaauw. "Being amongst the top competitors was amazing, but we also became disconnected from the hydrogen technology we wanted to work on. It was mainly about optimising the car, about taking weight off. It was time for a new challenge: the Formula Student."

Last year's Green Team Twente made a start. They built a hydrogen-powered race car but failed to get it running. This year's team now faces that challenge. Rob: "We were able to use a lot of the knowledge that other teams gathered from building cars for the Shell Eco Marathon, but we also had to discover many things ourselves. That makes this an exciting period for Green Team Twente. We hope to lay the foundations for years to come in these two years."The TT circuit in Assen, the Red Bull Racing Ring in Austria, and Hockenheim in Germany. They are all iconic race tracks. Green Team Twente's bright green race car will whizz over these famous tracks in July and August. The team participated in the Shell Eco Marathon for years, but they have a new challenge now: the Formula Student. A racing competition in which cars developed by students compete against each other. 

Green Team Twente is a bit of an oddity compared to the other teams. They are the only ones developing a race car that runs on hydrogen. "Previous teams always focused on the Shell Eco Marathon, where we won many prizes", says Extern & Finance Manager Rob Overgaauw. "Being amongst the top competitors was amazing, but we also became disconnected from the hydrogen technology we wanted to work on. It was mainly about optimising the car, about taking weight off. It was time for a new challenge: the Formula Student." Last year's Green Team Twente made a start. They built a hydrogen-powered race car but failed to get it running. This year's team now faces that challenge. Rob: "We were able to use a lot of the knowledge that other teams gathered from building cars for the Shell Eco Marathon, but we also had to discover many things ourselves. That makes this an exciting period for Green Team Twente. We hope to lay the foundations for years to come in these two years."

The Formula Student race car must be much faster than Green Team Twente's previous cars. These cars drove around thirty kilometres an hour, while the new car has to reach a speed between 60 and 80 kilometres per hour. This requires some modifications to the car. "For example, the fuel cell (where hydrogen is converted into electricity, ed.) has to be much stronger. It also has a different gearbox. We want to thoroughly test the hydrogen system since it must be safe. We, therefore, have a large test table in our workshop with all hydrogen system components. Everything has to work perfectly before it goes into the car."

Green Team Twente cooperates with 63 partners to prepare the car optimally. They sponsor the team with products, but they also share their knowledge. "Each partner contributes in their own unique way", says Rob. "Some contribute financially; others supply components while yet another company thinks along about the design. For example, the developers of our hydrogen system have a lot of contact with Demcon. They spar on how to best develop it. Another partner, Swagelok, helps us with the tubing and fitting. We want to ensure that all the car pipes are good and gas-tight. We also work with eSports Team Twente a lot. Our drivers train to become better in their simulators."

The students want to demonstrate that it is possible to run a race car on hydrogen by building one. Formula Student is following this development with great interest. "We hope that a special class for hydrogen cars will be created eventually", says Communication Manager Lynn Grimberg. "That would require adjustments to the racing regulations. We cannot meet certain conditions because our car runs on hydrogen. We have a lot of contact with the organisation about that. We have sent rules that we think should be changed. But before they do that, they also want proof that making a hydrogen-powered race car is possible. The goal is, therefore, to get the car running."

At the same time, Green Team Twente wants to contribute to the energy transition and a greener future by developing a hydrogen car. Lynn: "We do that by showing the world the possibilities of hydrogen, not only by building the car but also by teaching people about it. That's why we can be found at many events and give many school workshops. We work with multidisciplinary teams; everyone contributes."

What would make this year successful for Green Team Twente? "We want to reach the milestone of developing a working hydrogen system and a driving car", says Rob. "Which place we finish in the competition is less important to me. Although our year has already been successful if you look at what contacts we are gaining and what we have learnt as a team."

8-13 July: TT circuit, Assen

22-27 July: Red Bull Racing Ring, Austria

14-20 August: Hockenheim, Germany