Throughout 28 June, 11 Formula Student cars were exhibited in the Main Building’s atrium of Instituto Superior Técnico anticipating the event that would take place later on in the Great Hall – the FST13 rollout. The Formula Student Lisboa (FST Lisboa) team showcased the new electric and autonomous vehicle that will compete in the Formula Student competitions next season.
Only a thin cloth separated the audience from a first glimpse of the prototype in the Great Hall. Under the gaze of dozens of people with mobile phones trying to capture the moment, the thin cloth was lifted by members of FST Lisboa and Pedro Afonso, CEO at VINCI Energies Portugal, the FST Lisboa’s main sponsor. Beforehand, however, some speeches emphasised the importance of the moment, with various members of FST Lisboa presenting the improvements made on FST13 compared to previous models.
“Seeing the Great Hall full of people is an impressive sight, and it’s all thanks to FST Lisboa – success isn’t for everyone.” These were the words of the president of Técnico, Rogério Colaço, anticipating the rollout that would take place minutes later in the outdoor car park around the Main Building. “Here we have a small, fully operational and efficient company that, every 12 months, starts from scratch and builds a piece of equipment like this”, he said. To do this, “they have to solve a huge set of technical and team management challenges”, making Técnico “one of the schools that stands out for its students’ organisations that carry out projects from conception to construction”.
Pedro Afonso, CEO at VINCI Energies Portugal and a Técnico alumnus, argued that “FST Lisboa is a way of preparing the new generations”, through “projects that involve the work of more than one person”. He left a word of encouragement for the team’s future participation in the biggest Formula Student competition, to be held in Germany, in August, urging the students to have “the determination to win”.
FST’s 13th model – “Harder, better, faster, stronger”
Design, manufacture, assembly and testing – it’s a process that is already familiar to the 42 students who participate in this year’s FST Lisboa training programme, most of them studying Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Engineering at Técnico, joined by students from other areas such as Economics and Industrial Management. The team was set up in 2001 by a group of Técnico students with the aim of applying the theoretical knowledge acquired in class. From an early stage, they set themselves the goal of designing, building and testing a new Formula-type car and participating nationally and internationally in Formula Student competitions, representing Portugal. (listen to “110 Histórias | 110 Objetos podcast – Episode 7).
The project’s 13th prototype reaches a top speed of 130 kilometres per hour with four AC electric motors with electronic differential. In addition to the improved range, it can accelerate from zero to 100 kilometres per hour in 2.34 seconds (1.99 seconds in the autonomous, driverless version). It also has a battery of LiCoO2 (lithium-cobalt) cells and a total capacity of 6.33 kWh, protected by a case made of composite materials. The changes presented this year include a new design for the entire battery, improved cells, a new design and a significant reduction in mass thanks to the change from a 13-inch rim to a 10-inch rim. The development of the FST13 has also centred on increasing autonomous driving performance, with the aim of once again topping the world’s Formula Student charts.
The FST13 will represent Técnico at Formula Student Spain, Catalunya Circuit, from 1 to 7 August. It will then head to Germany, to the Hockenheim Circuit, between 12 and 18 August, the world’s biggest event in this sport. It will finish the season at Formula Student Portugal, from 3 to 7 September, in Castelo Branco. Competitions are won not just by the team with the fastest car, but by the team with the best overall package of construction, performance, financial and sales planning. The teams assume they are a manufacturer developing a prototype to be evaluated for production.
In the previous season (2023/24), the Técnico prototype recorded its best results ever by ranking 1st in Formula Student in Portugal and Spain, and 3rd in Germany, in the Electric and Driverless categories.
