German students have developed an electric car that can travel 2,573 kilometers on one battery. It consumes 0.6 kilowatt hours per 100 kilometers and weighs only 170. It shows that it is possible to create an electric car with exceptional autonomy and unprecedented energy efficiency.
Students from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) broke the Guinness World Record by traveling more than 2,573 kilometers in 99 hours using an electric car and one battery charge.
The team modified the “muc022”, a vehicle they already use in electrical efficiency competitions, and equipped it with a larger 15.5 kilowatt hour battery.
The car has an aerodynamic design and a light construction that allows it to consume only 0.6 kilowatt hours per 100 kilometers. In comparison, the cheapest electric vehicles on the market consume about 13 kilowatt hours per 100 kilometers.
Six day trial
The record was set at Munich airport, where the team had an empty hangar to avoid bad weather. The test lasted six days, during which the students slept on beds in the hangar.
The goal is to surpass the previous mark of 1,608.54 kilometers, which they achieved in just four days. But since muc022’s battery had not yet run out, the team continued driving until the indicated kilometer record was reached.
The record was congratulated by the Bavarian Minister of Science, Markus Blume and the president of TUM, Thomas F. Hofmann which fosters the pioneering spirit and ambition of students to contribute to the future of sustainable mobility.
The TUfast Eco team has shown that it is possible to create an electric car with incredible range and unprecedented energy efficiency.
Technical details
The muc022 has impressive technical specifications, putting it at the forefront of industry innovation.
It weighs 170 kg without a driver, compared to 1,200 kg for the average car, and a very competitive battery. It is equipped with a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) with a power of 400 W. Its surface area is 32.3 m2 and its drag coefficient is 0.48 and its resistance coefficient (cW) is 0.159.
These data illustrate the performance and efficiency of the muc022, which consumes less energy than other electric vehicles on the market.
Revealing Examples
For example, according to data from the Climate Consulting website, the Renault Zoé consumes 10.3 kWh per 100 km; The Kia e-Niro consumes 13.5 kWh per 100 km, the Volkswagen ID.3 consumes 15.4 kWh per 100 km and the Tesla Model 3 consumes 16 kWh per 100 km.
These cars have a longer range than muc022, but also a bigger battery and higher weight. Therefore, the muc022 is an ideal electric car for short and medium trips with low energy consumption.
Collective work
The muc022 electric car is the result of the joint work of TUM students and their external collaborators. Among them are companies such as BMW, BASF, Continental and Siemens, which have contributed their experience and resources to support the project.
Institutions such as Greenpeace, WWF and UNESCO are also involved, recognizing the ecological and social value of the muc022 electric car.
Technology model
The muc022 electric car is an example of how science and technology can contribute to improving people’s quality of life and protecting the environment.
TUM students have demonstrated their talent and commitment to sustainable development, and have inspired others to follow in their footsteps, according to the aforementioned university. muc022 is a sample of what is to come for us.
It’s too early to tell if the muc022 has the potential to become a car that can be sold or if it’s just a prototype that needs technological improvements to make it available to more people.
Promising for the market
What we do know is that this is a research and innovation project that seeks to demonstrate the possibilities of sustainable and efficient electric mobility.
According to the TUfast Eco team website, muc022 is the result of more than 18 months of development, design, manufacturing and testing, and successfully participated in the Shell Eco-marathon 2022 energy efficiency competition.
Although muc022 has more advanced features, it also shows some limitations, such as a very low maximum speed and load capacity, which makes it impractical for daily use. .
Therefore, the muc022 is a very interesting electric car from a scientific and technical point of view, but it is still far from a marketable product.
Perhaps in the future some of its principles and solutions can be used in other more conventional electric vehicles, or new models based on the muc022 can be developed that are more suitable for the market, the developers think in a statement.
