The final of the 2014 KMF Young Engineer of the Year Awards saw 18 schools go head-to-head on the tarmac of the Darley Moor race circuit in Derbyshire, to discover which of them had developed the fastest and most efficient electric car.
The 12 students in each team were supported on the day by teaching staff and members of their sponsoring company. Having built their electric-powered race cars from a kit supplied by KMF (Precision Sheet Metal) Ltd (
www.kmf.co.uk) and the sponsors, the teams had to develop it in order to achieve either the fastest lap over the two 90min heats or the furthest distance travelled. Each heat involved a pit stop where a driver change took place.
KMF managing director Gareth Higgins said: “To witness these young people so focused on the task in hand was truly rewarding and we were able to give these Staffordshire pupils a purposeful learning experience that they will always remember. The cars looked spectacular on parade and were a credit to the schools and the hard work the students put into the project.”
The fastest lap of the day went to Team Haywood Rocket from the Haywood Academy (sponsored by Trumpf); it achieved a top speed of 20.9mph. In the endurance stakes it was Team Eagle from St Joseph’s Catholic College (sponsored by Neida Products) that travelled a distance of 31.2 miles over the 90min.
Other awards went to Team Burning Rubber from Painsley Catholic College (sponsored by Greenway Pepper) for the best designed car; the Spirit of Young Engineer award was presented to Birches Engineers from Birches Head Academy (sponsored by IFB Limited).
The KMF Young Engineer of the Year award was presented to Jonathon Sharman from Clayton Hall Business & Language College; the Runner Up Award was presented to Jamie Whelan from St Margaret Ward Academy. There was a shortlist of 18 finalists for these individual awards.