Dartmouth hosts nation's only Formula Hybrid Competition at NH Motor Speedway

Dartmouth's 8th annual Formula Hybrid Competition will take place April 28 – May 1 at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, NH. Founded and run by Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth, the competition features high-performance hybrid and electric race cars built by teams of undergraduate and graduate engineering students.

This year, 24 teams are registered for the nation's only Formula competition focusing on hybrid-car technology. Dartmouth based its event on the Formula SAE® competition, in which the Dartmouth Formula Racing (DFR) team competed for over 10 years. (See a video of the 2013 DFR team.)

Like Formula SAE®, students compete in aspects of design, acceleration, handling, and endurance of their vehicle and abide by a long list of rules. Formula Hybrid teams, however, are faced with the additional challenge of optimizing both energy efficiency and sustainability of materials used in their cars.

"The Formula Hybrid competition is a great opportunity for young people who are interested in future careers in the automotive industry," said Kristen Lestock director of communications at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. "I have witnessed top automotive manufacturers on property checking out the talent in the garages and offering jobs to students on the spot. This competition is fun and educational and we love hosting it at New Hampshire Motor Speedway."

Yale University's Bulldogs Racing had a first-place finish at the 2013 Formula Hybrid Competition.

Supporting the event’s educational mission, and back by popular demand, is Formula Hybrid School Day—scheduled for day two of the competition (Tuesday). Throughout this day, middle and high school students will enjoy guided tours with volunteers from the New England Section of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and other knowledgeable experts. (See School Day video.)

For all other spectators, "the best day to attend is Wednesday, May 1st for the morning Acceleration Runs or at 1:00pm for the Autocross Event," said Amy Keeler, the Competition's new Coordinating Manager. "Then stop by the BBQ hosted by Dartmouth Society of Engineers and the IEEE Student Chapter" (6:00pm).

See the competition website for more schedule information.

Competition sponsors include the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, Toyota, NER, and Reliable Carriers, Inc.

2013 Videos