GBatteries and Ravens Racing, a Carleton University club that designs, builds and races Formula SAE (previously known as the Society of Automotive Engineers) vehicles, are partnering to revive the team’s Formula SAE electric program.
Beginning this summer, GBatteries will assist Ravens Racing in kick-starting development of a new Formula SAE electric race car by providing paid, full-time summer internship positions, as well as a dedicated facility for working on the vehicle. Team members will also benefit from working with a robust group of industry experts.
Ravens Racing’s Formula SAE team is currently ranked among the best in the world, placing sixth in 2019 (and seventh in 2018) against more than 100 teams at the circuit’s premier internal combustion vehicle competition in Michigan. The team has not entered an electric vehicle into competition since 2015, in part due to higher building costs compared with developing internal combustion engine-based vehicles.
“Collaborating with GBatteries on this project is an excellent opportunity to train young engineers in the clean technologies of the future,” said Ron Miller, chair of Carleton’s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. “Ravens Racing’s internal combustion vehicles have seen immense success in recent years and I am confident that by combining the strong design skills of our students with the technical expertise of GBatteries, we will be able to build a top-tier all-electric vehicle as well.”
The team’s electric vehicle program will benefit from GBatteries’ patented ultra-fast charging technology capable of rapidly powering lithium-ion batteries without compromising battery life or changing the chemistry.
Operating at the intersection of artificial intelligence, electrochemistry and high-power electronics, this specialized technology will be integrated into Ravens Racing’s new vehicle, making it the first scaled-up application of the charging protocol.
With the only established technology capable of breaking down the final barrier preventing wide scale adoption of electric vehicles – range anxiety – GBatteries’ partnership with Ravens Racing marks a unique opportunity to showcase the ultra-fast charging technology’s real-world benefits.
“GBatteries is on a mission to charge electric vehicles as fast as it takes to fill up a tank of gas,” said Chief Commercial Officer Tim Sherstyuk, a co-founder of the company. “Our goal is to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles, therefore reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Opportunities such as this don’t come around often and are too big to tackle alone, so we’re looking for passionate, creative and enthusiastic individuals to join us on this journey.”
The team will be led by Glen Clarke, an engineer, instructor and entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience. GBatteries Chief Engineer Alex Tkachenko and Chief Technology Officer Nick Sherstyuk will also be actively involved in the project.
About GBatteries
Based in Ottawa and operating at the intersection of artificial intelligence, electrochemistry, signal processing, and high-power electronics, GBatteries has the first and only demonstrated technology that can ultra-fast charge lithium-ion batteries without compromising battery life or changing the battery’s chemistry. With patented technology capable of charging off-the-shelf batteries as fast as a car can be filled with gas, GBatteries is on a mission to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles; therefore, reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
GBatteries has several active pilot projects with automotive manufacturers worldwide and is working towards commercialization of its technology. Investors include Airbus Ventures, Initialized Capital, Plug and Play, SV Angel, Y Combinator, and other private investors.
Watch GBatteries demonstrate their ability to charge power tool batteries to half capacity in 5 minutes and full capacity in 11 minutes at the 2019 Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
About Ravens Racing
Ravens Racing is composed of a multi-year and multidisciplinary range of Carleton University engineering students all vying to put forth the theory learned in class towards designing, manufacturing, and testing formula style race cars.
Ravens Racing enters its vehicle(s) in multiple competitions every year, where teams are judged on elements such as design, presentation, cost, accelerations and efficiency, among other components.
About Formula SAE
Formula SAE is a student design competition organized by SAE (previously known as the Society of Automotive Engineers). Formula SAE promotes careers and excellence in engineering as it encompasses all aspects of the automotive industry, including research, design, manufacturing, testing, developing, marketing, management and finances.
Wednesday, June 5, 2019 in Capstone Design Projects, Clubs and Societies, Electronics, Experiential Learning, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Undergraduate
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