Eco-Runner Team Delft unveiled Eco-Runner XIII, their latest hydrogen-powered car. With the new vehicle, the student cohort of the Delft University of Technology aims to set a new record for kilometers driven on a single tank of hydrogen.
“Setting a new world record means driving for over 2056 kilometers without refueling,” told Innovation Origins Julian de Klerk, Eco-Runner’s team manager. “To achieve this goal, we had to design the car differently from its predecessor,” he adds.
Stable for longer
Eco-Runner takes part annually in the Eco-Marathon, a competition challenging university students to create more sustainable cars. In 2022, the Delft team won the contest, as the Eco-Runner XII was the most efficient car of the edition.
For this year, the team opted for developing a car that drives longer, while keeping the same levels of efficiency. “Driving for so much longer while being so efficient means that several car parts need to be more robust,” de Klerk emphasizes.
Eco-Runner XIII is about to go into production. It will weigh 80 kilograms – with the hydrogen tank being as heavy as 950 grams – and will have a top speed of 45 kilometers per hour on 400 watts of power.
Teamwork
The Eco-Marathon will take place at the end of June in France, where Delft students will compete against teams coming from all over Europe. 24 people are part of Eco-Runner, having different backgrounds and expertise.
As a team leader, de Klerk’s task is also to keep everyone on board. “What matters is agreeing on the goal we want to achieve as a team at the beginning of the year. From there, everyone has a target to work for,” he explains. Driving longer than everyone is this year’s goal and Eco-Runner members will do anything they can to reach it.
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