A team of students from Technical University of Munich (TUM) has achieved a remarkable feat in the world of electric vehicles. They have set a new official record for the longest-range electric vehicle (non-solar), surpassing the benchmarks set by popular production cars like the Lucid Air. The team’s sleek and aerodynamic Muc022, a single-seat vehicle, was able to travel an astonishing 2,573.79 kilometers (1,599.28 miles) on just one charge of a small 15.5-kWh battery. This battery size is significantly smaller than those found in the longest-range production cars.
To accomplish this feat, the team took a different approach. Instead of attempting to drive 1,600 miles in a single day, they spread out their journey over six days during the IAA Munich Mobility show. The team had access to an airplane hangar provided by Munich Airport, which eliminated any weather variables that could have affected the record attempt.
Not only did the TUfast Eco team break the 1,000-mile barrier, but they also surpassed the previous record by an impressive 60 percent. They achieved this milestone in just four days and spent the remaining two days pushing the benchmark even higher, draining the battery to empty.
TUM/ MCube /Viktoriya Zayika
What makes this achievement even more impressive is that the Munich team accomplished it with a small 15.5-kWh battery, which is more comparable to what you would find in a production plug-in hybrid rather than market-leading all-electric vehicles like the Lucid Air or Tesla Model S. In terms of energy consumption, the Muc022 used approximately 0.6 kWh per 100 km, while a typical efficient production EV consumes around 13 kWh per 100 km.
It’s important to note that the Muc022 was not designed for everyday use. It was originally developed in 2022 for competition purposes and was later replaced by the Muc023 for the 2023 Shell Eco Marathon. The TUfast team repurposed the 2022 car specifically for this record attempt and equipped it with the larger 15.5-kWh battery pack.
The Muc022’s unique tapered and teardrop-like body design contributes to its impressive performance. It boasts a drag coefficient of just 0.159, making it more aerodynamically efficient than any other vehicle on the market, including the Lightyear 0 solar-electric car with a drag coefficient of 0.175. Additionally, the car weighs a mere 375 lb (170 kg) without the driver, minimizing the load on its small 400-W permanent magnet synchronous motor.
Source: TUM
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