The Drivetrain subteam designs and develops the mechanical side of the vehicle’s powertrain, making iterative improvements to find the most efficient way to transfer torque from the motors to the wheels. A rigorous concept selection process is followed by calculation, modelling, detailing and optimization. Finally, procured standard part and manufactured non-standard parts are assembled.

The subteam encompasses the development of the suspension and steering systems from the various concept evaluation to its final assembly and adjustment. To achieve the best vehicle’s performance and ergonomics for the driver, compromises within the subteams have to be made. The team deals with finding lightweight design solutions with high stiffness while satisfying the demanded suspension geometry and packaging, therefore basic knowledge of mechanical engineering, CAD and FEA is required.

The work in the Electric Motors subteam can be roughly divided into three parts: electrical design, motor design and the modelling and development of the motor cooling system. The development starts with the definition of basic performance that the motors must meet, and the definition of their limit values, followed by the design, manufacturing assembly and extensive testing.

The Powertrain subteam oversees the development of overall electrical architecture of the vehicle, including the development of the battery pack, selection and programming of the inverter, complete HV and LV wiring and electronics systems. The subteam’s main goal is to create an efficient, high-performance, safe and reliable system, thus maximizing the performance of the vehicle.