H2polito - Molecole da Corsa
H2PolitO – molecole da corsa is a Team of Italian students from the Polytechnic University of Turin. These students come from diversified degree courses and work together for the design and assembly of a low consumption hydrogen vehicle – IDRA.
The Team mission is to participate in competitions for vehicles utilizing alternative energy sources and to shape Engineers trough an educational path focused on applying theory to practical experiences, an innovative learning approach compared to the typical didactic method, based primarily on front-end lectures.
History
The Team was born in 2006, with the aim to build an alternative energy vehicle based on hydrogen propulsion.
Ms. Massimiliana Carello was appointed faculty advisor. Her task is to follow students throughout their activities and support the technological and educational innovation of the project. Thanks to the approval of the Dean of the Polytechnic University of Turin, Mr. Francesco Profumo, the project took off and the first team was created: in 2007, 15 students designed, assembled and tested the first prototype.
Within the Team, all students are assigned to precise roles and tasks, and they also take care of all the organizational and decision making aspects of the project.
Professors involved in the project are gathered in a “Steering Committee”, which follows students during their activities and at the end of their degree courses, as supervisors of experimental thesis. The Polytechnic University of Turin is thus the first Italian university to officially recognize such kind of project.
The hydrogen propulsion vehicle IDRA participates in the most important races in its category – the Shell Eco-Marathon and the Formula Electric & Hybrid Italy – and it became “Project of the year” of the Polytechnic University of Turin in 2007.
The Polytechnic is the main backer of the project, both financially and structurally. In fact, it provides the laboratories and equipment necessary to assemble and test prototypes. Several companies were also actively involved in the project. Technical partnerships consist of collaborations between students and firms in order to jointly develop of the vehicle. Some companies have also contributed financially to the project.
The Team has a laboratory within the Mechanical Engineering department of the Polytechnic (corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, Turin) and its headquarters within the faculty of Automotive Engineering (via Nizza 230, Turin).