The Dejvice campus of CTU in Prague hosted the traditional event CTU Racing Day, where representatives of individual student teams CTU CarTech from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, eForce FEE Prague Formula from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and CTU Lions from the Faculty of Transportation Sciences presented their monoposts and presented their results of this season, the year 2022.
The eForce team presented the eleventh generation of the student formula FSE.11 and the innovative autonomous monopost DV.01. The piloted formula took part in five races during the summer season, where it managed to build on a successful pre-season. In the very first races, it managed to win the inaugural race in Zurich, Switzerland, and added two second places. The first of these was at the home race in Most, where the team has traditionally done well. At the very end of the season, as in the previous year, the team managed to defend its second place in Croatia at the Alpe Adria races. The autonomous formula DV.01 took part in three races and also achieved great success. It even won the Acceleration and Autocross disciplines at the Czech races in Most town and finished third overall. "All in all, this is one of the most successful seasons in the history of eForce," says team captain Tomáš Krejčí.
The CTU CarTech team's FS.14 is the result of a follow-up to its successful predecessor FS.13, which defended 1st place in Most last season and also served as a test car for training new drivers. The team took proven components from the successful predecessor and added an innovative hybrid front axle drive concept. Despite the overall complexity of the project, the team managed to complete the entire 2022 Formula Student racing season and finish in the top ten of the competition.
Monopost FS.14 týmu CTU CarTech je výsledkem návaznosti na úspěšného předchůdce FS.13, který v minulé sezóně obhájil 1. místo v Mostě a zároveň sloužil jako testovací vůz pro zaškolení nových jezdců. Tým z úspěšného předchůdce převzal osvědčené komponenty a doplnil ho o inovativní koncept hybridní pohonné jednotky přední nápravy. I přes celkovou náročnost celého projektu se týmu povedlo odjet celou závodní sezónu Formula student 2022 a umisťovat se v první desítce konkurentů.
Last but not least, the CTU Lions team, which is the only one in the Czech Republic participating in the international student competition MotoStudent, presented their prototypes at the event. "This year we have been working mainly on the concept of the new EVO 3.0 Electric. We are considering the overall concept, engine layout, new frame technologies and new battery chemistry. During the year, we also tested and tuned last year's EVO 2.0 Electric prototype, which stands out from the competition mainly due to its longitudinally positioned engine and the coaxial arrangement of the rear swingarm and drive sprocket," explains Přemysl Toman, head of the CTU Lions team. Last year, CTU Lions placed 12th overall out of 45 international participants at the final MotoStudent competition in Aragon, Spain, with the motorcycle and its entire project. In the sub-categories, it is worth mentioning the 15th place in the main race, the 8th place in the variable wheelbase innovation and the 1st place in the business plan discipline. This year, the team is still preparing for the competition in Imola, Italy.
In addition to their results, the teams also presented the technical design of the monoposts to the participants. The main attraction of the event remained the traditional demonstration rides of all formula carss and motorcycles on the closed Technická street in front of the CTU buildings. Interested students had a unique opportunity to join the teams and work with them on new machines for the upcoming season. For those interested in joining the teams who were unable to attend the event, the entire event was streamed online via the YouTube platform, where footage is now available.
Formula Student Competition
Both teams, CTU CarTech and eForce FEE Prague Formula, which construct racing monoposts, participate in the Formula Student competition, whose races are held all over the world. Students compare their strengths not only in dynamic driving disciplines, but good results in presentation disciplines are equally important for overall success. Students present a technical design for a race car, as well as a cost study or business plan, for example, in which they try to pitch the product to potential investors. The competition reflects current industry trends and students are often ahead of the curve with their innovations.
Motostudent Competition
Motostudent je mezinárodní soutěž studentských týmů. Úkolem je vyvinout a postavit závodní motocykl podle pravidel daných pořadatelem podobný kategorii Moto3. Aktuálně tým vyvíjí v ročníku 2022/2023 elektrický motocykl CTU Lions EVO 3.0 Electric. V rámci soutěže se odevzdávají technické zprávy, jako Concept development, Detailed design, Innovation project, Management Plan a Prototyping. Zprávy popisují celý proces vývoje od prvních skic až po testování vyvinutého prototypu. Sezóna je završena finálovým eventem na okruhu Aragon ve španělském Alcanizu. Finále zahrnuje technické přejímky statické, dynamické a administrativní, prezentace zpráv před odbornou komisí, testování profesionálním jezdcem. Jezdci se postupně utkávají v dynamických disciplínách testů akcelerace, brzdění, jízdy zručnosti, ale také přímo na trati při zajetí nejrychlejšího kola, maximální rychlosti, umístění v kvalifikaci a v prestižním závěrečném závodu s hromadným startem na trati v plnohodnotné konfiguraci MotoGP. Kromě hlavní soutěže se CTU Lions účastní i seriálů Moto Engineering Cup a Moto Engineering Italy, které jsou určeny pro úspěšně otestované prototypy soutěže MotoStudent, aby týmy mohly dále porovnávat své motocykly na dalších evropských okruzích, jako je například světově známý okruh Enza Ferrariho v italské Imole.
Facts about student formulas
Autonomous formula car DV.01.2022 by eForce FEE Prague Formula team
In the 2020 season, the team has designed the first ever autonomous electric formula in the Czech Republic. The self-driving monopost was created using the mechanical design of the FSE.07 monopost, but electrically it has been completely rebuilt. The newly formed group in the team had to deal with many new problems such as sensing and recognizing the surroundings, calculating the ideal path, the steering itself or the emergency braking system.
This season, the stereo camera and LiDAR remain for cone detection. A new SLAM algorithm was introduced to map the track based on cone detection data and GPS position. This algorithm is particularly notable for its speed and reliability, also due to the fact that it runs purely on the GPU. There have also been improvements to the track planning, allowing us to plan the optimal track for the entire lap and speed profile. From a mechanical standpoint, the pilot's seat in particular has changed on the formula, optimizing unit space and serviceability while maintaining pilot comfort.
Results:
FS ATA in Italy – 5th place overall
FS CZ at Most – 3rd place overall
FS East in Hungary – 19th palce overall
Electric formula car FSE.11 by eForce FEE Prague Formula team
For the 2022 season, the team continued with the previously set two-year development cycle. Last year's tenth anniversary monopost was in many ways groundbreaking and unique. The 600V maximum voltage battery unconventionally positioned under the pilot's feet, recuperation, all four motors located in the wheels, were just some of the key new features. The FSE.11 uses a proven concept from which it gets maximum performance, but also improves key reliability. The formula is now more than 10kg lighter, and the carbon monocoque sandwich structure or aerofoil has been optimised to circulate air around the car more efficiently. The driver can now communicate with engineers at the track while driving to solve acute car problems or improve the racing path.
For the first time ever, a simulator was also used to develop the car. Even before the car was put on the test track for the first time, thanks to the simulator, we were able to better select the parameters for the driving dynamics of the car and all further work on finding the optimal settings was significantly more efficient.
All this has contributed to making the FSE.11 one of the most successful monoposts in the team's history.
Results:
FSSwitzerland – 1st place overall
FSCZ in Most – 2nd place overall
FSEast at Hungaroring – 9th place overall
FSG in Germany – 24th place overall
FS Alpe Adria in Croatia – 2nd place overall
Combustion formula FS.14 by CTU CarTech team
The FS.14 monopost is the only one in the Czech Republic with a hybrid drive system. The main power unit - the engine from the Yamaha R6 motorcycle - has cams of its own design for a better power curve. From previous years, the team adopted the design of titanium calipers and exhaust, carbon intake and overall reduction of 30 mm by using a dry sump with external lubrication circuit. All these modifications contribute to a maximum power output of 59 kW, which is transmitted to the rear wheels via a new four-stage gearbox. The semi-automatic paddle shifters under the steering wheel are used to change gears and have undergone considerable optimisation, thanks to which we have succeeded in significantly reducing shift times. The monopost has two secondary electric motors mounted on the front axle, which provide an additional 8 kW of instantaneous power. The electric motors provide additional power during acceleration, corner exit and in the delayed shifting of the internal combustion engine. The electric motors are powered by an oil-cooled battery. The hybrid drive is also able to store part of the kinetic energy otherwise lost during braking in the form of recuperation in the battery. By combining these two drive systems in racing mode, the formula achieves a petrol consumption of 18 l/100 km.
The Formula also features a new suspension and damping system for the front and rear axles, which helps isolate the knock and vertical components of the driving forces. This allows the car's behaviour to be adjusted more precisely and quickly so that drivers are able to get the most out of the monopost's mechanical grip in all disciplines. Modifications to the front axle also meant switching from a pullrod system to a pushrod system, placing the suspension system at the top of the car. As a consequence, this also freed up space in the lower part of the car and resulted in more airflow to the aero floors and to the wings on the sides of the cockpit. As a result of this and other optimizations to the aerodynamic package, the aerodynamics group has managed to increase the overall downforce by up to 20.4% compared to the last monopost tested on the race track.
Results:
FSCZ v Mostě – 9th place overall and 2th place in Autocross
FSA at RedBull Ring – 10th place
FSEast at Hungaroringu - 8th place overall and 5th place in Autocross
FS Alpe Adria in Croatia- 6th place while 3rd place in Autocross, 2nd place in Skidpad and 2nd palce in Acceleration.
Results:
The CTU CarTech team started the season by defending its second place in the Autocross discipline at the Czech FSCzech race in Most. At the Austrian FSA race at the RedBull Ring, the CTU CarTech team drove a royal Endurance race with the second fastest time of 21:14.555, but unfortunately the result was not valid due to an oil leak. Despite this incident, the team placed tenth overall in the world competition. After a one-week break, the team continued at the FS EAST race in Hungary, where they defended their 5th place in the Autocross discipline. The team then finished the entire 2022 Formula Student season at the FS Alpe Adria race in Croatia, where it was awarded second place in the Cost & Manufacturing category for its innovative approach to sustainable production. In the dynamic disciplines of Acceleration, Skidpad and Autocross, the team has always finished on the winners' podium. At the very end of the competition, the team received a special Rimac Group Powertrain Award for Hybrid Drive, directly from Marco Arnoletti.
Facts about CTU Lions Student Motorcycles
All CTU Lions motorcycles correspond to the Moto 3 category. In 2021, the team unveiled the CTU Lions EVO 2.0 Electric prototype, featuring a longitudinally mounted engine mounted on a custom cast and machined gearbox with a spiral gear providing a 90° change in rotation of the engine's main shaft. The gearbox itself also forms the main hub of the entire frame, including the rear suspension and rear swingarm, which is co-axial with the output drive sprocket. The frame is a "3D puzzle" of welded aluminium plate forgings. The frame is completed by the technological innovation of the variable wheelbase hidden in the interchangeable inserts of the upper glasses combined with the rotation-enabled lower glasses. The main advantage is the speed of changing the front fork angle within minutes. The motorcycle has a peak power output of up to 42 kW at 8000 rpm, with a 7 kWh battery pack, a maximum voltage of 118V and a current load of 550A. The battery pack itself is made up of 868 cells running through the entire frame that makes up the battery pack, which is then bolted to the front fork and neck, and the swingarm and drivetrain.
Previous generations featured the EVO 1 Petrol with a Honda 250 CBR engine and a tunable control unit, a steel tubular frame with aluminium sidewalls and a total weight of 125kg.
