Still hesitating to join the team? Are you afraid that you won't be able to keep up with your studies or that you don't have enough experience? Don't know what will be expected of you?
At eForce, we build a new formula every year, with which we then participate in races across Europe in the summer. When designing, we follow the rules issued by the organization Formula Student Germany. In addition to the basic safety requirements, they also define the disciplines in which the competition takes place. Of course, our goal is to win, so our car must have perfect 75m Acceleration, well-tuned chassis and tires that won't tear up on the Skidpad, enough downforce for sharp, fast turns on an autocross track, and must be reliable to completed the 22km Endurance race without a breakdown. In addition to all of this, this year we decided that instead of building a second autonomous car, we would also include the computer, actuators and sensors necessary for autonomous driving in one formula. But it's not just about speed. We also compete in static disciplines, where we present to experts not only from the automotive field our progress in development and production from both an engineering and an economic point of view.
As you probably understood, building a racing car is a complex problem, which is not enough just to hand in homework and sit an hour and a half in the classroom. With us, you will finally engage your imagination, you will learn to think about problems from different perspectives. Although you probably don't yet know how to design a gearbox for a 20000 rpm motor or how to balance 288 lithium-polymer cells in a 600 V battery, you will learn everything over time. Many times it also happens that while working on a formula you come across a problem that you have already heard in a lecture and you finally understand why you were learning about it.
And finally specifically. There are about 60 of us in the team and we meet once a week in smaller groups Vehicle performance, Powertrain, Electrical Systems and Chassis & Structural systems. Then every month we have a team meeting, where each group presents what happened. As a newbie, in the first weeks you will be trained in team organization, attendance, safety in the workshop and working in the programs we use in the team. The development of the new car will take place until the end of the calendar year, which is already in full swing. You can take charge of a part or unit if you believe in it, or you can be handy to one of the older members. We will then start production in January, and everyone will have the opportunity to participate. We assemble the electric units ourselves, laminate the carbon monocoque and the aeropacket ourselves, braid the cabling, machine, and finally assemble everything together. You can also help a lot if you ask for and pick up parts and materials or arrange production in an external company. It is important to want to learn, to be willing to help when needed, but also to actively offer yourself for the sub-tasks that will be announced at the meeting.
If you put your hand to the work and show that you are a team player who can be relied on, you will definitely watch many races with us this summer. There you will see the formula in the construction and development of which you participated, drive alongside competitors from all over the world, meet hundreds of capable people like you and get inspiration for the next year.
If you are still hesitating whether now is the right time, know that there is no more recruitment during the year. If you can't keep up with it, or if you find that this project isn't right for you, you can quit at any time. Don't miss out on the opportunity that ended up changing the lives of dozens of hesitant students before you. You can find the questionnaire here.