Greenpower Education Trust
Educational trust running student electric car racing programmes.
via Wikipedia: Greenpower Education Trust · see source
The Greenpower Education Trust is a charitable organization whose objective is to inspire more young people to become engineers by presenting the engineering industry as an interesting and relevant career choice. The main idea is for teams of students between the ages of 9 and 25 to design, build, and race their own electric powered race cars on top racing circuits such as Goodwood. The trust originated from a study by Sussex Chamber of Commerce in 1998 which considered the needs of engineering companies in that region, revealing low levels of interest in STEM school subjects. The Greenpower project started in 1999 to encourage students to design, build and race their own electric race cars within professionally drafted specifications and only a small helping hand from experienced adults.
Quick Facts
- Founded
- 1999
- Headquarters
- Fontwell, Southern England
- Number of schools involved
- 500
- Patron
- Owner of Goodwood Motor Circuit
Facts from the source article.
History
The trust originated from a 1998 study by Sussex Chamber of Commerce that examined the needs of engineering companies in that region. The study found low interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects. In response, the Greenpower project began in 1999, encouraging students to design, build, and race electric cars within professional specifications, with limited adult assistance. Events are held on weekends at circuits including Goodwood, Castle Combe, and Dunsfold. Greenpower reports working with 500 schools across the UK. Its headquarters are in Fontwell, and national events have been run at Goodwood Motor Circuit, whose owner is a Patron. From 2015 to 2018, the International Final was held at Rockingham Motor Speedway in mid-October as a two-day event, attracting about 170 cars from the UK, Ireland, and a few international teams. The Corporate Challenge, previously held at Goodwood or Silverstone, was merged with the F24 championship final in 2013. On 30 June 2014, Greenpower announced a partnership with the FIA's Formula E racing series, running a support race for schools during a Formula E weekend.
Categories
All Greenpower classes use a 24V, 240W Framco motor and pairs of 12V REC36-12 or YPC33-12 AGM batteries, which are sealed and cannot be modified. The motor and batteries, along with instructions, are included in a kit that requires only basic hand tools to assemble and can be reused. The kit costs £1350 (2019). A new G2 chassis was released in the late 2010s to replace the G1 tubular-style cars. Rules are based on the standard motor and batteries plus safety requirements, allowing considerable design variation. Up to 2013, F24 races were 4-hour endurance events using six batteries (80 minutes per pair), with a minimum of five drivers each driving a maximum of 90 minutes; average speeds were around 20-30 mph. For the 2014 season, F24 became a sprint format: one pair of batteries per 90-minute race, two races per day, with a minimum of three drivers per race. Car costs vary widely; top cars range from £1200 to approximately £9000 (excluding batteries and motor). The motor and six batteries cost £404 + VAT, while the kit car (including motor, batteries, team registration, and first race entry) is £2750 + VAT (October 2018). Top F24/F24+ cars achieve energy consumption equivalent to over 3000 mpg, making them among the most efficient racing cars globally.
Races
The F24 season includes events at tracks such as Goodwood Circuit, Mallory Park, and Dunsfold. Each race day consists of two 90-minute races; the distance completed in each race is recorded, and a car's best distance over the season determines its ranking, with top cars qualifying for the International Final in October. The F24+ season has fewer events, held between the two F24 races, with 60-minute races. Points are awarded to the first ten cars (25 points for first, down to 1 point for tenth). Each car's best two regular-season results plus the final round result contribute to the points table. Awards are presented at each race for engineering, innovation, presentation, best new team, and the Spirit of Greenpower. Goblin events are run separately and vary by location; they typically include a slalom, a drag race, and a sprint. The slalom and drag are timed, with each team completing six runs and the lowest time counting. The sprint is a short race (usually three laps) run in heats and finals. Points are awarded for each test (1 point for first, 2 for second, etc.), and awards carry negative points that reduce a team's score; the lowest overall score wins.
International Finals
The first race in 1999 was held at Goodwood Motor Circuit and is considered the National Final, though no qualification events occurred that year. Rule changes have reduced car speeds over time; the 2006 final holds the greatest recorded distance and average speed of any final. The 2006 season was also the last to feature 6-hour races. In 2011, the supplied batteries were changed, reducing available energy and speeds. In 2014, the finals were renamed the Greenpower International Finals due to participation from multiple countries, including Silesian University of Technology. The 2015 International Final moved to Rockingham due to space needs; after Rockingham's closure shortly after the 2018 finals, the 2019 final was held at Silverstone on 17 October, marking 20 years since the first Greenpower event. In 2021, the finals returned to Goodwood Motor Circuit with a new 4-race format, following the cancellation of the 2020 event due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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