Hardware Podcasts

140. Student-Built EV Shatters 0-62mph Record, Leaving Supercars in the Rearview 🏎

The Next Byte Podcast · 19 Sept 2023 · 22m

What this episode covers

Hosts Daniel and Forbode discuss the Academic Motorsports Club of Zurich (AMZ) and their student-built electric race car, Mithin, which shattered the 0-62 mph world record with a time of 0.956 seconds. They analyze the vehicle's 'secret sauce,' including its purpose-built design, ultra-lightweight honeycomb aluminum frame, and a unique vacuum system that doubles traction by sucking the car to the ground. The hosts highlight how this student team outperformed production supercars like the Rimac Nevera through first-principles engineering and system-wide optimization.

Most relevant to

makers and hobbyists

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Academic Motorsports Club of Zurich, University of Stuttgart, ETH Zurich, Lucerne University, Dyson
Products
Mithin, Rimac Nevera, Konigsegg

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Moore's Lobby · 44m

    Ep. 16 | DS TECHEETAH's Mark Preston Talks Dominance in Formula E Motorsports

    Mark Preston, founding team principal of DS TECHEETAH and founder of Street Drone, discusses the engineering and strategic dominance of his team in Formula E, including the evolution from 5-speed gearboxes to direct drive motors and the critical role of driver-managed regenerative braking. He explains how Formula E serves as a high-performance prototyping lab, accelerating the transfer of technologies like battery management and power electronics to road cars such as the DS3. Preston also outlines his career trajectory from hazardous material tankers and Formula One simulation to autonomous vehicle development, emphasizing the importance of rapid iteration and solving complex problems at the cutting edge.

    Energy & climate techBatteries & low-power design
    8 chapters

  • Moore's Lobby · 1h 29m

    Ep. 13 | How Motorsports Are Accelerating Product Development for Next-Gen Automotive Applications

    Lucas di Grassi, former CEO of Roborace and Formula E champion, and Bryn Balcombe, Chief Strategy Officer of Roborace, discuss how their autonomous electric racing series serves as an R&D incubator for automotive AI and sensor technologies. They detail the technical challenges of hardening electronics for high-G motorsport environments, the shift from hardware competition to software-defined racing, and the critical role of open-source data in accelerating industry-wide innovation. The conversation also covers the broader implications of autonomous mobility, battery energy density constraints, and di Grassi's environmental advocacy regarding urban air pollution.

    AI & machine learningSensors & measurement in products
    9 chapters

  • Moore's Lobby · 1m

    Don't Miss Season 2 of Moore's Lobby

    Host Daniel Bogdanoff previews Season 2 of Moore's Lobby, launching January 21st, featuring engineering leaders from Virgin Hyperloop, Formula E, and NS Nanotech. The trailer highlights insights from previous guests at NASA, Tesla, Amazon Web Services, iRobot, and Lockheed Martin Space Systems. It teases discussions on power electronics in electric vehicles, the R&D role of motorsport, and common fatal mistakes in product design and market fragmentation.

    PCB design & layoutAnalog & power electronics
    5 chapters

  • Being an Engineer · 41m

    S2E22 Building Cars for the Transformers 4 Movie, and Immersing Oneself in Hands-on Work | Nick Bauer

    Nick Bauer, a special projects engineer at Niccola Motor Company, discusses his hands-on approach to engineering, from building antique tube radios as a teen to working at startups like Local Motors and Thor Trucks. He details the creation of the Rally Fighter, the world's first crowdsource car, and the challenges of adapting an LS3 engine and using carbon-fiber-filled ABS for 3D-printed vehicles. Bauer also shares stories of his personal vehicle projects, including a heavily modified 2001 Dodge Dakota and a Cummins-powered 'Dragon Wagon,' while reflecting on his ADHD, sleep deprivation, and advice for engineers with learning disabilities.

    Careers & educationMaterials & manufacturing processes
    6 chapters

  • Embedded.fm · 59m

    52: Maximize the Sonic Boom

    Micheal Worry, CEO of Nuvation Engineering, explains how his 100-person design firm takes clients from marketing requirements to shipping products, emphasizing their 'gut check' process to align budget and schedule early. He details the development of Disco Fish, an autonomous Burning Man vehicle, and the E-Rex electric race car, which served as testbeds for their Nuvation Autopilot and battery management systems. Worry discusses the importance of 'first-time right' engineering, the distinct skills required for FPGA versus embedded work, and how Nuvation Garage fosters innovation through passion projects like the air hockey robot.

    Manufacturing partners & offshoringEmbedded firmware
    7 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by The Next Byte Podcast. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.