German students from the TUfast Eco group have recently announced their latest electric vehicle, the Muc023, which they believe is highly efficient and will participate in the upcoming Shell Eco Marathon. This competition seeks to crown the winner as the vehicle with the least energy consumption.
Compared to its predecessor, the Muc023 weighs 10 kilos less, coming in at 65 kg, and has a power output of 570 watts, a torque of 12.7 Nm, and a drag coefficient of 0.13. The weight reduction was achieved through adjustments to the body and new wheel suspensions, which are about 40% lighter than the previous model. On the test bench, the permanent-magnet synchronous motors also ran up to 5% more efficiently than before.
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This is the fourth time that TU Munich has participated in the Shell Eco Marathon, this time in the “Urban Concept” category, which requires vehicles to be efficient and bear similarity to viable passenger cars rather than pure prototypes. TUM President Thomas F. Hofmann remarked on the team’s passion for competition and excellence, which aligns with TUM’s mission to combine leading-edge innovation with social responsibility for more sustainability.
The student team includes more than 80 members, including the “Autonomous Team,” which incorporated new technologies into the vehicle’s design. One such technology is a tree-based 3D occupancy map that uses various recognition technologies to allow for long-range maneuver planning along with close-range detection. This technology will also be further developed after the Shell Eco-Marathon.
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Innovation and sustainability are at the core of TU Munich’s ethos, and the TUfast Eco student group’s latest creation showcases the university’s dedication to both. As the Muc023 prepares to compete in the Shell Eco Marathon, it serves as a reminder of the importance of designing and building highly efficient vehicles that can help move us towards a greener future.
