Students at STC member WMG (University of Warwick) have had significant input into the design of a hydrogen-powered car fuelled by sewage that will attempt to set a new land speed record.
The striking ‘Waste2Race’ Le Mans Prototype race car (LMP3) is a collaborative project between Severn Trent Water, Ginetta Cars and WMG, amongst others.
It is hoped that by summer 2025 the car will be ready to attempt several land speed records – including fastest standing and flying starts for a mile and a kilometre.
WMG staff and students hope to use the car to showcase a wide range of sustainable concepts that are being worked on across the University and industry.
The four mechanical engineering students from Warwick have helped design mountings for the high-performance car’s engine and gearbox.
Working with CAD (computer aided design) as well as being practically hands-on, they have also focused on integration of motors within the suspension, plus other areas such electrical systems, connectors and power supplies and the car’s fuel systems and hydrogen tanks.
Head of the Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing Research Group at WMG and Warwick’s Deputy Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research), Professor Kerry Kirwan, commented: “We’re incredibly proud of the ingenuity of our students and wish them all the best of luck in their land speed record attempt.
“These sorts of collaborations are a great example of how businesses, universities and the endless curiosity of our students can break barriers and push the boundaries of what’s possible”.
The hydrogen the car will run off is a byproduct of wastewater fuels treatment technology being trialled at Severn Trent.
A selection of spare and unused parts from Ginetta have been adapted with sustainable materials, including recycled carbon fibre and a wing mirror from beetroot waste.
The steering wheel, developed by the National Composites Centre (NCC) is made from 100% naturally occurring materials. ENRG Motorsport contributed a battery recovered from a crashed road car.
The project, ‘Waste2Race’, comes as manufacturers such as Alpine and Toyota are exploring hydrogen as a fuel for racing cars of the future. BMW recently announced plans for its first hydrogen car to go on sale from 2028.
Click here to read more about the project.
Article by Carl McKellar
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