URE19: hollow gears and compound planetary gears
What makes URE’s approach so special and what innovations have been introduced this year? We are creating a series of videos where Eric visited the student team at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) that builds a new electric race car every year. We’ve captured this visit, and in this article, you’ll not only find the first video of the series but also read about the key highlights.
What is URE?
URE (University Racing Eindhoven) is a student team at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) that builds electric race cars and participates in the Formula Student competition. It is the oldest and largest student team at TU Eindhoven, with approximately 100 members. Students from all over the world join URE, with some even relocating to Eindhoven specifically to be part of this innovative team. Apex Dynamics has been sponsoring these developments for several years now, and we are eager to share our knowledge and insights with the students.
“During my studies, we learned a lot of theory, and it’s really cool to see what you can do with it in practice. That’s why I chose to go to University Racing Eindhoven to help build an awesome car and also to learn management skills,” says Tess Rademaker, Finance & Operations Manager at URE.
The passion and dedication within the team go beyond just technology. URE offers students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in both engineering and management, giving them a unique edge in their future careers. But how does that knowledge translate into innovations in their race cars?
Innovations in Mechanical Drives
The URE19, the team’s latest car, features some innovative techniques, particularly in its drive and gear technology:
- Four individual electric motors: Each wheel has its own motor, ensuring optimal control and precise power transfer.
- Compound planetary gear set: This is a unique gear transmission where there is a transmission within the planet gears, which vary in size, resulting in better performance.
- Hollow gears: This reduces weight and decreases inertia, resulting in faster acceleration and a quicker car.
“A lighter car is a faster car. That’s why we make the core of the gears hollow,” says Job van Aaken, Drivetrain Engineer & Inwheels at URE. Apex Dynamics uses solid material in designing planetary gears. The hollow gears reduce inertia, which is also important for Apex Dynamics. Perhaps this innovation will eventually be seen in new Apex Dynamics products.
“Within Formula Student and other teams, almost everyone is doing this now. It’s interesting to see that the innovations we develop alongside our studies eventually grow into the industry.”
The technical improvements to the URE19 are aimed at making the car lighter, faster, and more powerful. How does that translate into performance on the track?
The Impressive Performance of the URE19
Weighing 220 kg and boasting 110 hp, the URE19 delivers impressive performance. The most striking figure? The car has 1600 Nm of torque on the tires.
“We have 1600 Newton meters of torque on the tire. That’s comparable to a Bugatti Chiron,” explains Job, a URE team member.
To put that in perspective: a Formula 1 car has about 900 to 1000 Nm of torque. This means the URE19 accelerates incredibly fast and excels on the track.
These innovations are not confined to motorsport. They can also find their way into the industry, where lighter and better-performing designs play an increasingly important role. It was a great experience to see the new innovations of the URE19 up close!
A second interview in this series will follow later, focusing on the progress of the URE19 and the decisions made to arrive at the final design. We may also look ahead to the upcoming Formula Student races of this season.
