How did your team get started this year?
Every year is a fresh start. You begin with nothing, just a goal. This year we wanted to try something new: a car that could run on different fuels, like synthetic e-fuels from CO₂ capture or biofuels. That is why we moved away from hydrogen, even though it was an important part of our identity for many years. We started by defining the big goal and then worked out what we needed. From there it is research, simulations, and figuring out which parts you need to make yourself and which you can buy.
What was the biggest technical challenge?
Definitely working with a gas turbine for the first time. You have to heat air, pump it through the turbine, generate electricity, and make that power the car. It was completely new for the team, and everything was on our plate: designing components, testing, simulations. There were real moments of "what have we gotten ourselves into?" The highlight was when the turbine finally ran and produced electricity, that was incredible.
How does the team organize itself?
We split into smaller teams focused on different parts of the car. From August to Christmas we mainly do research and simulation, checking temperatures, fluid speeds, and other parameters. From January to March or April we start building components. It is intense. You go from people sitting in a lecture hall to someone who has done the entire cycle of designing, testing, and assembling a vehicle. You learn so much about engineering, teamwork, and project management.
Any memorable milestones this year?
Testing in Germany was amazing. There is a circuit where we could run the car and actually see everything working together. That moment when the setup finally spun and we could drive a few laps, it is something you do not experience anywhere else. It is one of the reasons this project is so special: it gives students opportunities they would not get just from classes. We also got to meet people from Emergence, a platform for sustainability and innovation where young engineers, companies, and researchers share ideas and projects.
What do you hope for the future, and what does being featured at Expo 2025 Osaka bring you?
Eco-Runner is about showing what students can achieve, but also about innovation in sustainable mobility. The exposure, like being able to connect with people from other projects such as Emergence, is great. We are also looking at international connections. Japan, for instance, has been interested in energy and efficiency projects. For us, it is a chance to show how student engineering can contribute to bigger challenges in sustainable transport globally.