Richard Lander secondary school in Truro, Cornwall, has achieved a remarkable victory by winning an international race for electric cars and setting a new competition record. The Green Power international final, held at Goodwood, saw the school’s team triumph over more than 100 teams from various countries, including Brazil and Portugal.
The competition, organized by UK charity Greenpower Education Trust, aimed to foster enthusiasm for engineering among young people. The 18 students from Richard Lander School were tasked with designing, building, and racing electric cars. The goal was to cover the greatest distance within a 90-minute time limit.
This is the fifth consecutive year that Richard Lander School has emerged as the champions of the competition. The team achieved an incredible distance of 52.4 miles in the race, surpassing the previous record of 50 miles. The project leader and physics teacher at the school, Ben Lloyd-King, expressed his joy at the team’s success and praised their dedication and skills.
The students’ winning car was involved in a significant crash during severe weather conditions just three weeks prior to the race. Despite this setback, the team managed to rebuild the car and secure a remarkable victory. Mr. Lloyd-King attributed their success to the car’s lightweight design, excellent aerodynamics, and simplicity.
The Green Power project has not only provided students with an avenue to learn about engineering but has also inspired some to pursue motor engineering degrees. The materials for the cars were generously donated by two local companies, Fibre fusion in Falmouth and Teagle near St Agnes.
This achievement highlights the growing prominence of electric cars in today’s society. As Mr. Lloyd-King stated, “Ten years ago, it was a rarity to go in an electric car but it’s becoming more and more common, so it’s good that they can understand a bit more about how the cars that they will be driving in the future actually work.”
