At the beginning of 2023, the Vinci Eco Drive teams presented the prototypes with which they will participate in the Shell Eco-marathon 2023 event.
The students presented the prototypes, hoping to break their records and win the competition.
A journey to the centre of… the Vinci Eco Drive workshop
The Vinci Eco Drive team brings together students who share the same values and convictions from three different schools: ESILV (engineering school), EMLV (management school), and IIM (digital school).
All the students, with varied backgrounds, contribute by sharing their skills and know-how in engineering, management, and industrial design, to achieve their goal of designing the most efficient, agile, and effective formula racing car.
The students Romain Guet and Gabriel Mathieu, class of 2023, are part of the Digital Modelling & Mechanics major. They shared the progress of their projects on the Vinci Eco Drive YouTube channel.
During a short visit to the VED prototype manufacturing workshop, the two project leaders explain the details of the manufacturing process and the materials from which the prototypes are made.
Two prototypes and one ambition: to succeed
NOVA, the efficiency prototype
The Vinci Eco Drive Association has built a prototype every year since 2013, and since then, the students have been working on designing and manufacturing their seventh chassis. Their goal is to produce the most efficient electric vehicle possible. This project is the flagship project of the association.
The Efficiency Prototype project is a 100% electric vehicle that aims to use as little energy as possible. Their record distance traveled is 3731km, with an electrical consumption equivalent to 1 liter of SP95 petrol.
With NOVA, the Digital Modelling & Mechanics major students will participate in three major competitions this year: the Shell Eco Marathon, the Albi Eco Race, and the EcoGreen Gas Challenge. The new objective with NOVA is to beat the previous record and go further.
Formula Student
Formula Student is the second project of the association. The Formula Student is an electric single-seater aiming to be fast, agile, and efficient on the track. This project started in 2018, and the students are building their first chassis.
This project, launched three years ago, represents an ambitious project for Vinci Eco Drive. After the design phase, the manufacturing phase has begun, allowing them to participate in competitions in 2023, notably the Formula Student Germany, which will take place in August 2023.
Among other things, the engineering students have set themselves the challenge of completing the prototype and the tests in the summer of 2024 to participate in the FSAE championship, which takes place in several countries such as Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, and soon in France.
Participating in races
VED participates in international races such as the Shell Eco-Marathon (SEM), the Albi Eco Race, and the EcoGreen Challenge. These high-profile inter-university car races bring together over 3,500 students and 40,000 spectators from Europe.
The Digital Modelling & Mechanics major students are trained and qualified to design, develop, and dimension new products and complex systems, particularly in the aeronautics and automotive sectors.
Learn more on how to become a digital mechanical engineer
