Senior Minister of State for Transport and Finance, Mr Chee Hong Tat, and NUS FSAE team supervisor, Prof Seah Kar Heng, unveiling the R22e
The NUS FSAE team officially unveiled their latest race car, the R22e, during their Sponsors Appreciation Day on 28 June 2022. The event was graced by Senior Minister of State for Transport and Finance, Mr Chee Hong Tat, and attended by many sponsors who have been supporting the NUS FSAE team for the years.
The unveiling of the R22e marks a significant change for the NUS FSAE team since its inception in 2001. After close to two decades of building and competing in race cars with internal combustion engines, the team made good use of their two-year hiatus from the annual FSAE competition caused by COVID-19 to switch to electric race cars. This move is line with the increasing focus on development and adoption of electric vehicles in the industry for a greener, more sustainable future.
The team faced numerous challenges during the transition such as lack of experience in building electric vehicle systems, extra precautions needed in working with high voltage systems, lack of past data needed to optimise the vehicle systems, and having to adapt to new rules in the electric vehicle competition that are different from those for those with internal combustion engines. In spite of these, they managed to successfully complete the R22e, making it the first electric race car in Singapore. Moreover, the improved performance of the R22e in many key aspects such as power-to-weight ratio and acceleration compared to its predecessors shows the tremendous potential of the FSAE team to remain competitive after making the switch to electric vehicles.
Now that the work on the R22e has been completed, the NUS FSAE team will commence work on their next car, the R23e, with the intention of competing in the international FSAE competition in Michigan in 2023. We wish the team all the best on their next car!
