The Eco-Runner Team Delft is embarking on its most ambitious project yet: designing, building, and testing a street-legal vehicle powered by hydrogen. The primary objective is to use this vehicle to complete as many laps of the Elfstedentocht as possible. This endeavor aims not only to raise awareness about climate change but also to underscore the critical importance of the energy transition. The vehicle must comply with all legal requirements for street-legal vehicles and must also be highly fuel-efficient. This presents a significant challenge for the team, comprised of enthusiastic students who are eagerly tackling this challenge.

Throughout this year, twelve engineers have taken on the responsibility for designing and building this car. Starting this year, Simcenter 3D from Siemens is being utilized. This software package seamlessly integrates CAD and CAE environments, allowing for modeling and analysis of all components within the same environment. Our engineers have performed various calculations using this software, with Femto playing a crucial role in guiding our team.

Every year, the Eco-Runner team welcomes new students from TU Delft. Some of them bring experience in working with FEM and CFD simulations. However, to ensure the highest possible quality, partnerships have been established with a company that specializes in these simulations. In this context, Femto plays a crucial role, with our team spending many working days at their office on Oude Delft to refine the simulations to perfection.

After close collaborations with Femto’s engineers, all simulations have been completed, marking the conclusion of our collaboration with Femto. Nevertheless, Eco-Runner has ambitious plans on the agenda. Currently, the engineers are in the production phase, bringing the design to life, with some parts already completed. The goal of this phase is to assemble all components by March, resulting in the complete construction of an entire car. Then, it will be time to successfully undergo all RDW tests with this car. This is the most thrilling phase of the project, aiming to ultimately obtain a license plate.