Car engineers of the future are being invited to get behind the wheel of cutting-edge electric vehicles at an inspiring race track test day.
Dozens of students from De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) will get a first-hand ride in some of the fastest, most powerful electric cars yet made to show the full power and potential of electric automotive technology.
Sports cars including the BMW i8, i3 and Tesla S2 will be available for students to ride in or drive around Mallory Park circuit in Leicestershire.
The event is being held to challenge the preconceived notions of electric vehicles (EV) and inspire young engineers to make their mark on a burgeoning technical revolution, supporting sustainable energy.
It is being aimed at students on DMU's engineering courses, who study a common module on electrical principles. Students at other higher education institutions, including Coventry and Loughborough Universities and Leicester College, are also set to attend. The event is being part-funded by the Intelligent Mobility Partnership, a collaboration between transport research and business groups.
Vehicle tests will run throughout the day, with students able to drive and ride in a selection of cars. There will also be talks given by EV owners and industry experts, illuminating for students what owning and running an EV is like, and the technology involved in their construction, along with a workshop on how to build an EV.
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Dr Rick Greenough, Research Group Leader at DMU's Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development, said the event would let students make their own minds up about electric cars.
He said: "Because we have electric cars and their owners on the day, students will be getting an unrivalled insight into what it is like to own them on a daily basis. They will get an honest assessment of where the technology is and be inspired as to their role in its future.
"To get to experience the cars - whether as driver or passenger - will show more clearly than anything else the power and possibility of electric technology.
"At DMU we always want to challenge convention and, combined with the academic quality we offer on our engineering courses, we want to get students thinking differently about their world - that's when true innovation happens."
Posted on Friday 16 October 2015