Racing towards a future of electric cars
Mr Wee Wen Bin is a self-professed car enthusiast.
The 20-year-old, who is pursuing a diploma in energy systems and management at Singapore Polytechnic (SP), said his love for cars started at 14, when he helped his father restore two cars.
He told The New Paper: "We assembled the bodywork and serviced the engine of a 1985 Toyota Land cruiser LJ and a 1990s Suzuki Vitara."
Thus, when the opportunity to design and build a working electric race car arose, Mr Wee, who is also passionate about climate change, jumped at the chance.
Together with six SP friends, Mr Wee took part in the Greenpower International Race held in the United Kingdom on Oct 17.
The race challenges more than 200 youth teams across the world to design, build and race an electric car around the F1 Silverstone circuit.
Although the team was placed 23rd out of the 33 participants, Mr Wee and his friends felt the experience was invaluable.
Said Mr Wee: "The Silverstone track was amazing and I was grinning the whole time because I'm racing at this iconic race track with 30 other competitors.
"During the practice round we pushed the car further then we have ever done in Singapore and I was very surprised with the results as it reached 50kmh and we were overtaking a lot of cars," said Mr Wee.
He added: "The team had been working on the vehicle over the past three months."
Mr Wee and his teammate Mr Alex Lim, 19, were the ones driving the car.
Mr Lim told TNP: "Through this race, we want to show that clean energy is the new energy and it should be something everyone is working towards."
The SP students were the only Singaporean team competing.
Said Mr Wee: "Someday I hope to become an engineer for Ferrari.
"I think races like these are so important to show bigger races like the F1 that you can use batteries and clean energy to race. It is possible, and so much better for the environment."
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