Team H2politO
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 form 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 with the task to follow students throughout their activities and support the technological and educational aspects of the project. Thanks to the approval of the Dean of the Polytechnic of Turin, Mr. Francesco Profumo, the project took off and the first team was created in 2007: it was made of 15 students who designed, assembled and tested the first prototype.
Within the Team, all students are assigned precise roles, tasks and responsibilities like in a real company. Students also take care of the organizational and decision making aspects of the project.
Teachers 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 of Turin is thus the first Italian university to officially recognize such kind of project.
The hydrogen propulsion vehicle IDRA participates in competitions dedicated to its category – the Shell Eco-Marathon and the Formula Electric & Hybrid Italy – and it became Project of the year of the Polytechnic of Turin in 2007.
The Polytechnic of Turin 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. Moreover, several major companies are also actively involved. Technical partnerships consist of collaborations between students and firms in order to jointly develop 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).
Results
2008
The Team and IDRA08 (2008 version of the vehicle) participated in the Shell Eco-marathon 2008, held in Nogaro (France) obtaining the following results:
- Routes 942 km/l gasoline equivalent -
- Recognized as the best novice team
- Recognized as the best Italian team
The Team also took part in the Italian competition Formula EHI 2008 (Formula Electric & Hybrid Italy), held in Orbassano and organized by the Automotive Technical Association - ATA (Turin), obtaining the following result:
- Third prize in Category 2
2009
In 2009 the Team participated in the European 2009 edition of Shell Eco-marathon, at the Eurospeedway in Lausitz (Germany) with the following results:
- Routes 1538 km/l gasoline equivalent -
- First prize Marketing & Communication Award
- Special mention for "Design Award"
The team also took part in the Formula EHI 2009 , hosted by the Research Center ENEA (Rome), obtaining the following result:
- Third prize in Category 2
In April 2009 the Team sent three of its members to witness the SEM USA competition. In October 2009, the Team H2politO won the first prize in the category "Creativity, Research and Composites" at the Compotec fair, in Marina di Carrara, Italy.