VUB Racing in 2023

VUB Racing is the Formula Student team from Brussels.

VUB Racing has achieved a groundbreaking feat this year with the construction of their new car, named Eos, exclusively made from flax fibers as the sole composite material. This achievement marks a world first in the Formula Student competition, setting a new standard for sustainability and innovation.

Coming up is a brief summary of our first competition and our latest voltage indicator PCB design.

Formula Student Netherlands

At our first competition Formula Student Netherlands (FSN), We embraced the opportunity to engage with competition judges during the static events, seeking their invaluable feedback. Their insights are crucial to our continuous improvement.

Just like many emerging EV teams, we have encountered reliability challenges, particularly with our battery system. Undeterred, we have embraced these obstacles as opportunities for growth. Through optimizing our battery design and testing it thoroughly we’re confident we can get our car ready for the next competition.

With Formula Student Czech (FS Czech) looming on the horizon, VUB Racing is charged by excitement to integrate FSN’s feedback in our latest racecar. We pour our hearts and minds into fine-tuning our electric vehicle to perfection, ensuring it attains peak performance.

As we prepare up for FS Czech, we eagerly anticipate the feedback from the experienced judges at our next competition.

Voltage Indicator

To comply with the safety regulations, we have designed a PCB that incorporates a red LED light that will illuminate if the battery pack voltage exceeds 60V. It’s worth noting that our design adheres to the FS rules, which prohibit the use of programmable IC chips in safety circuitry, including this voltage indicator.

Eurocircuits provided us with their state-of-the-art aluminum PCB manufacturing process, which offers several advantages for our voltage indicator. Heat dissipation plays a critical role in electronic circuits, especially in demanding applications. The high thermal conductivity of aluminum helps efficiently dissipate any generated heat, preventing overheating and potential damage to the components.

It’s important to note that during the final implementation, the test LED will be replaced with the intended red LED indicator mentioned earlier. This final LED will serve as a clear and accurate visual cue when the battery pack voltage exceeds 60V.