Engineering at the Limit: The NTU Racing Team and the Road to Formula Student

The Ultimate Showdown: Merging Academic Rigor with Practical Engineering

“Go the extra mile. Sky is the limit.” This mantra—signifying the pursuit of excellence beyond any boundary—is the guiding principle of the National Taiwan University Racing Team (NTURT). The team’s objective is to compete in the international Formula SAE (FSAE) engineering competition. Every season, they design and build a small electric formula race car from the ground up. Since its inception, the team has navigated the challenges of its founding years and endured the global hurdles posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now in its seventh year, the experienced, yet young and ambitious NTURT continues to refine its technology and team structure. Having competed in events in Japan and Australia and achieved top results domestically, the team consistently strives for higher performance and success.

NTURT was spontaneously founded by students at National Taiwan University. It not only fulfills the vehicle development dreams of mechanical engineering students but also welcomes members from diverse departments and universities, making it a rare, comprehensive engineering practical platform in Taiwan. In Taiwan, where motorsports are not mainstream, the word "racing" often conjures images of illegal street racing, leading to misunderstandings about student racing teams. Indeed, the most common question team members face is, "What exactly does the racing team do?" Many mistakenly believe that competitive speed is the primary goal. However, motorsports involve far more than pure speed; vehicle development and engineering technology are paramount. The main task of a student formula team is not "racing" as commonly perceived, but rather to operate as an engineering team dedicated to "building a race car."

The competition participated in by these student formula teams, Formula SAE, is a program under the Society of Automotive Engineers International (SAE International). It is designed to challenge university and graduate students worldwide to design, develop, and manufacture small formula-style race cars. The competition encourages students to apply their academic knowledge while independently researching the latest technologies and know-how. It promotes the integration of academia and practice, cultivating the essential engineering skills students will need in the automotive industry. Furthermore, FSAE provides a global platform for schools to exchange ideas and gain industry exposure.

Currently, FSAE competitions are held in 21 countries, including the originating country, the United States, as well as automotive and motorsports hubs like Germany, the United Kingdom, and Japan. Over 200 teams globally participate in these events. With rising environmental awareness, Formula SAE has incorporated hybrid and electric vehicles. Building an EV is now the mainstream approach, and European competitions have even begun to include autonomous driving categories in the overall scoring.

In the FSAE competition, each university team acts as a virtual factory team (company). They must manufacture a formula race car that complies with the rules and regulations. The car must pass technical inspections to obtain track certification from the judges before its dynamic performance can be showcased in the dynamic events. FSAE also includes static events such as the Design Report, Cost Report, and Business Presentation. Therefore, in addition to designing and building the car, participating teams must calculate vehicle costs and sell the car in a simulated business scenario, making FSAE both an engineering and a business competition.

The competition items are divided into Vehicle Safety Inspections, Dynamic Events, and Static Events. Vehicle Safety Inspections include Mechanical Inspection, Electrical Inspection, Driver Egress Test, Rain Test, Tilt Test, and Brake Test. Static Events include the Design Report, Cost Report, and Business Presentation. Dynamic Events include Acceleration, Skidpad, Autocross, and Endurance.

(The original text includes images/captions for Tilt Test and Driver Egress Test which serve as visual aids, but are not translated as prose paragraphs.)

Proactive Founding and Gathering Interdisciplinary Talent to Enhance Industry Capabilities

In 2018, seeing that National Tsing Hua University, National Cheng Kung University, and National Taipei University of Technology had all established student racing teams, alumna Chou Yu-Chen (B06 class, Mechanical Engineering) felt NTU’s absence was a missed opportunity, which inspired her to found the team. She then invited Lü Bo-Ting, a fellow B06 classmate and car engineering enthusiast, to join. The founders approached faculty members and were ultimately fortunate to secure Professors Cheng Jong-Ho and Hsu Kuan-Lun as faculty advisors. With the professors' full support, they found a suitable location for the team’s dedicated workshop, and the NTU Racing Team was officially established in August 2018.

The team's structure is meticulously planned in accordance with the demands of FSAE and currently comprises over 80 members, divided into R&D and Administrative groups. The R&D group is split into Mechanical (Structural, Chassis, and Aerodynamics) and Electrical (Powertrain, Electrical System, and Vehicle Dynamics) sub-groups. The Administrative group handles Public Relations and General Affairs.

NTURT capitalizes on the advantage of being part of a comprehensive university. Beyond members from Mechanical Engineering, the team includes students with diverse professional backgrounds, including Electrical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Medicine, Industrial Management, Foreign Languages, and Design. The team is a nexus for interdisciplinary talent passionate about motorsports and practical engineering. It offers students a "learning by doing" engineering platform, providing opportunities to apply the five core areas of Mechanical Engineering—Solid Mechanics, Design, Manufacturing, Control, and Thermo-Fluids—to the design and manufacture of an electric formula race car.

Furthermore, through this project centered on "building an electric race car," team members apply knowledge related to business management, design, marketing, and financial planning to manage the team, operate social media, organize promotional events, and attract support from various industry partners for parts, technology, and resources. This actively fosters industry-academia collaboration and cultivates future industry talent.

Continuous Competition Builds Strength: Taiwanese Glory and Record Achievements

Since its founding, NTURT has consistently aimed to participate in FSAE international competitions. The inaugural team planned to participate in the 2019 Formula SAE Japan (FSAE-Japan), hoping to successfully complete the race in their first international attempt. Despite team members often juggling multiple roles during the initial phase, they persevered, overcame all obstacles, and successfully completed the first-generation car, Epsilon 1. They fulfilled their goal of taking NTU’s first race car to Japan, where they underwent their first international vehicle safety inspection and exchanged knowledge with foreign teams. This valuable experience became vital nourishment for the team’s future participation, and the dedication of the first members laid a solid foundation for the team's development.

The 2020 and 2021 FSAE-Japan events were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving the eager team temporarily without a stage to showcase their skills. The team was primed and finally looked forward to the easing of the pandemic in 2022. Despite facing severe pressures regarding short shipping times and limited funding, the members' enthusiasm and aspiration for the international stage guided NTURT to venture to Australia. NTURT was the only Taiwanese team to participate in the Formula SAE-Australasia that year, where they won the PACCAR Corporate Special Award and achieved 5th place in the Electric Vehicle category of the Business Presentation competition.

Domestically, NTURT has also delivered stellar performances. During the pandemic, many international competitions were suspended or barred foreign team participation. Coupled with various national quarantine regulations, Taiwanese teams faced the predicament of having almost no races to attend. This dire situation spurred the creation of Taiwan's domestic student formula competition—the Formula Student Taiwan (FST) Cup—which debuted at Lihpao Racing Park in 2021.

FST provides Taiwanese university teams with more opportunities to compete, exchange knowledge, and accumulate racing experience. It serves as a crucial staging post before teams venture abroad. FST is also a key event for Taiwan's automotive industry, with major manufacturers participating annually to network and discuss collaboration opportunities. NTURT secured 2nd place in the FST overall ranking in 2022. In the 2023 race, they were the only team to pass the technical inspection, winning 1st Place and the Most Popularity Award. This success highlighted the effective application of their accumulated R&D and competition experience on a national stage.

In September 2024, NTURT decided to return to their starting point for international competition: Japan. As the team’s first international challenge, FSAE-Japan holds special significance for NTURT. Japan, with its thriving automotive industry and motorsports sector, has cultivated many of the world's top student teams, making FSAE-Japan the largest FSAE event in Asia. After five years of development and drawing on past competition experience and knowledge, NTURT passed all technical inspection items in their second attempt at the Japanese event and proudly achieved 4th place in the Electric Vehicle category of the Design Report.

Competition History at a Glance

Continuous Vehicle Evolution and Yearly Technical Innovation

All generations of race cars built by NTURT are named "Epsilon," abbreviated as EP. The name Epsilon is derived from the Greek letter $\epsilon$, which denotes "electromotive force," signifying NTURT's focus on manufacturing electric formula race cars.

(The detailed specifications for Epsilon 1 through Epsilon 4 are complex technical data, best presented in a summary format as shown below, followed by the prose for EP5 and EP6.)

Epsilon 5: System Integration and R&D Expansion

Building upon EP4's modular design, EP5 features highly integrated vehicle architecture and expanded R&D focus.

• Systemization & Integration: EP5 shifted from a dual-pushrod suspension to a new Roll-Heave Decoupled Suspension. This provides stable ride height for the aerodynamic system while controlling cornering roll, enhancing the reliability of numerical analysis and minimizing the change in angle of attack due to pitch. The aero package substantially increased downforce from the rear wing and underbody, coordinated with dynamic wheel-end output adjustments to maximize cornering capability.

• Lightweight Design: Adhering to lightweight principles, EP5’s curb weight was reduced by 60 kg compared to its predecessor. The smaller cockpit provides better visibility and driving posture. By eliminating the centrally mounted motor, EP5 achieved a smaller wheelbase and yaw inertia, greatly enhancing vehicle agility.

• R&D Expansion: In a significant move, NTURT debuted its self-designed SiC motor driver (inverter), reducing reliance on commercial products and demonstrating autonomous R&D capability for critical systems. Utilizing SiC power modules from a local Taiwanese third-generation semiconductor company, the conversion efficiency reached an impressive 98.5%, laying the foundation for future four-wheel-drive development.

• Aerodynamics & Chassis: The suspension was integrated within the frame envelope, improving the driver's sightline and reducing aerodynamic drag. Roll-Heave Decoupled Suspension simplifies dynamic analysis and allows for independent adjustment of ride height, stabilizing airflow for maximum aero performance (Downforce ratio: Front Wing 30%, Rear Wing 30%, Underbody 40%).

• Structure: Continued use of a steel tube frame, with the addition of a subframe to simplify assembly and effectively increase chassis torsional stiffness. The compressed cockpit space achieved a smaller wheelbase and lower yaw inertia, improving cornering performance.

Current Vehicle—Epsilon 6: The Next Leap

Epsilon 6 is the latest-generation race car and is currently undergoing intensive manufacturing.

• Lightweighting: The goal is to reduce weight by 15% compared to the previous generation by optimizing the design and manufacturing processes of the wheel-end system, aerodynamic kit, and electrical system casings, thereby improving acceleration and energy efficiency.

• Process Optimization: The aerodynamic kit will utilize foam plugs instead of solid wood master molds and core materials to reduce costs and simplify assembly. Parts of the electrical system casing will use lighter Kevlar fiber instead of aluminum sheet metal for significant weight reduction.

• Enhanced Stability: The team is improving their in-house developed inverter to push the car’s limits and extend driving range, alongside strengthening the electrical system's anti-electromagnetic interference capabilities to ensure system and sensor stability.

• Ergonomics Optimization: The cockpit design will be tailored to the driver's physique, providing optimal seat angle, pedal position, steering wheel height, and field of view. This not only reduces driver fatigue but also enhances vehicle control, leading to improved performance.

• Vehicle Dynamics Simulation: Refining the vehicle model and speed estimation to acquire more accurate dynamic information for developing advanced vehicle control systems.

A Renewed Challenge to the Highest Level: Finding Footing on the Global Stage

Epsilon 6 is scheduled for completion in June 2025 and is slated to compete in the 2025 FSAE-Japan event. Successfully passing all technical inspections at the previous year's FSAE-Japan, and thus obtaining the official track qualification and safety certification for the first time in an international event, was a major milestone in NTURT's history. However, the team's ultimate ambition is to break the Taiwanese team record at this largest Asian student formula competition and achieve the best performance by a Taiwanese team in Japan. They aim to secure a firm footing on the international stage, paving the way for future participation in other global events. NTURT is therefore determined to re-challenge the September 2025 FSAE-Japan with the latest-generation Epsilon 6.

Every competition is realized through the unwavering support and assistance of industry partners, NTU faculty, and accomplished alumni. In every event, team members adhere to the spirit of “Go the extra mile. Sky is the limit,” striving to constantly surpass their limits. This year, NTURT will give its all at FSAE-Japan, aiming to reach the pinnacle of student motorsports