The members of the Academic Motorsports Club Zurich (AMZ) have us very excited. They spent almost a year working on their electric vehicle (they named it mythen) at ETH Zurich and the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, overcoming setbacks and redesigning components. Recently, Guinness World Records confirmed that mythen broke the previous world acceleration record for electric vehicles. The racing car accelerated from zero to 100 km/h (zero to 62.15 mph) in just 0.956 seconds, covering a distance of only 12.3 meters at the Switzerland Innovation Park in Duebendorf, Switzerland. Kate Maggetti was at the wheel. This beats the previous world record of 1.461 seconds, set in September 2022 by a team from the University of Stuttgart, by more than a third.
Yann Bernard, head of motor at AMZ, said:
“Working on the project in addition to my studies was very intense. But even so, it was a lot of fun working with other students to continually produce new solutions and put into practice what we learned in class. And, of course, it is an absolutely unique experience to be involved in a world record.”
Lighter, stronger, more traction
All components of mythen – including the printed circuit boards (PCBs), chassis, and battery – were developed by the students themselves and optimized for their functions. The race car weighs approximately 140 kilograms (309 pounds) due to the use of lightweight carbon and aluminum honeycomb. The students also developed four-wheel hub motors and a special powertrain, resulting in an impressive power output of 240 kilowatts (about 326 horsepower).
But power isn’t the only thing that matters when it comes to setting an acceleration record – effectively transferring that power to the ground is also key. Conventional Formula One cars solve this through aerodynamics: a rear or front wing pushes the car to the ground. However, this effect only comes into play when the car has reached a certain speed. To ensure strong traction right from the start, the AMZ team has developed a kind of vacuum cleaner that holds the vehicle down to the ground by suction.
Hotly contested world record
The AMZ team previously set the world acceleration record for electric cars twice, in 2014 and 2016. A team from the University of Stuttgart broke the record in the years that followed. However, the world record is now held by the Swiss team at ETH Zurich, and the students are confident that they will maintain their position as record holders for the foreseeable future.
About the Academic Motorsports Club Zurich (AMZ)
AMZ was founded in 2006 by students from ETH Zurich. Since then, the club’s 30 or so members have created a new race car every year and entered it into international design competitions, specifically Formula Student in Europe. Initially, the club developed three vehicles powered by internal combustion engines. However, starting in 2010, AMZ began building electric race cars. The club provides students with the opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge in a complex technical setting. AMZ is financially independent and receives support from numerous sponsors and Swiss universities.
Electric vehicle acceleration record video
Check out video of the record-breaking event below.
Electric vehicle acceleration record photo gallery
Image Credits
In-Article Image Credits
mythen record breaking electric vehicle during its run via ETH Zurich by Alessandro Della Bella with usage type - News Release Mediamythen driver preparing for record breaking attempt via ETH Zurich by Alessandro Della Bella with usage type - News Release Media
mythen driver Kate Maggetti ready for her electric car record breaking run via ETH Zurich by Alessandro Della Bella with usage type - News Release Media
Students prepare mythen for the attempt to break the electric vehicle acceleration record via ETH Zurich by Alessandro Della Bella with usage type - News Release Media
mythen tires via ETH Zurich by Alessandro Della Bella with usage type - News Release Media
mythen driver Kate Maggetti focuses before the start via ETH Zurich by Alessandro Della Bella with usage type - News Release Media
mythen on the starting line via ETH Zurich by Alessandro Della Bella with usage type - News Release Media
mythen tire adjustments prior to the race via ETH Zurich with usage type - News Release Media
mythen electric vehicle record sub second run via ETH Zurich by Alessandro Della Bella with usage type - News Release Media
mythen mounting the wheels via ETH Zurich by Alessandro Della Bella with usage type - News Release Media
mounting wheels on the mythen electric vehicle via ETH Zurich by Alessandro Della Bella with usage type - News Release Media
mythen driver Kate Maggetti walks to the car before the attempt via ETH Zurich by Alessandro Della Bella with usage type - News Release Media
mythen crew via ETH Zurich by Alessandro Della Bella with usage type - News Release Media
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mythen driver Kate Maggetti focuses before the start via ETH Zurich by Alessandro Della Bella with usage type - News Release Media
