Dutch students unveil groundbreaking hydrogen-powered racing car
Students at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands have unveiled their new sustainable hydrogen-powered racing car. The ‘Forze IX’ will have a top speed of 300 kilometers per hour and race top GT cars from the likes of Ferrari and Mercedes. The goal of the pioneering youngsters is to show the power of sustainable hydrogen technology by racing.
Zero-emission racing
“A future of racing without emissions is our dream” says Team manager Coen Tonnaer, “We want to promote hydrogen as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels by showing that it can compete with cars that run on conventional fuels on track”. The Forze Hydrogen Racing team has already proven itself by building competitive zero-emission racing cars. In 2019, their previous car achieved a podium place in an official race in the Netherlands.
Innovative students
The students are taking a giant leap forward in hydrogen technology with their new car. Behind the complex technology lies a basic principle: in a fuel cell, hydrogen gas reacts with oxygen from the ambient air to create water. The byproduct of this reaction is electricity, which is used to power the motors in the car. “We want to keep challenging ourselves” says Tonnaer. “The Forze IX will have a peak power of around 800 bhp.
This power is partly generated by the fuel cells, but we also have an additional supercapacitor energy storage system that can give a huge power boost to the car. There’s a lot of performance inside this vehicle.” according to the team manager.
Huge challenge
The development of the Forze IX has taken over two years so far, Tonnaer: “An enormous challenge for us. Our team has worked incredibly hard and they have really poured their heart and soul into this project. To see the results come to life in this car makes me really proud and excited about what is to come.” The next steps for the team are to further test the systems in the car, so the hydrogen racing car can get on track as soon as possible.
