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Bentley racing green
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30/04/2008
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A Bentley Motors apprentice team has won a special ‘Spirit of Greenpower’ award for its performance in the Greenpower Corporate Challenge at Goodwood race circuit. The Bentley apprentice team designed, engineered and built the electric powered car that they entered into the Greenpower Challenge as well as a season of ‘F24+’ racing.
The car, called Continental DC (Direct Current), runs off a 24-volt motor supplied by two 12-volt batteries. Designed for lightness and maximum power efficiency the one-seater Continental DC has a carbon fibre chassis and low resistance tyres.
Greenpower is a series of events which aims to promote greater interest in young people to follow careers in the fields of engineering and technology. The 2008 Greenpower corporate challenge held last weekend (28 April) was the first race of the season. Twenty-five teams entered, 15 from schools and 10 from companies.
The team achieved its goal of completing the four hour race, despite some technical difficulties in the first section. The award was given in recognition of the excellent team spirit showed in overcoming these initial technical challenges. The F24+ season consists of eight 90-minute endurance race events that will culminate in a grand final at Goodwood in October.
Nine of the company’s apprentices who are all following a three or four year apprenticeship scheme at the Crewe factory make up the team.
Tom Hodgson, Greenpower team manager said: “Having completed our first race we now know what we have to do to be successful for the rest of the 2008 Greenpower season. The experience of developing a project from idea to race-day was exhilarating. ”
Technical highlights of the Bentley Greenpower car include its 24v motor delivering 0.5bhp and 5.1 lb ft (7Nm); a top speed of 40mph (64km/h); zero CO2 emissions; fixed carbon fibre suspension wishbones for maximum strength and minimum weight; unique 1x16” carbon fibre wheels with bespoke Michelin low resistance tyres; rear grille matrix in chrome; Bentley Hide/Alcantara trimmed interior; a specially built ECU to control motor/transmission.
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Author
Ken Hurst
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