Middlebury Formula Hybrid is a new team at Middlebury College. In May 2022, Formula Hybrid will participate in the Formula Hybrid+Electric competition: a multi-discipline engineering competition hosted at Dartmouth College and featuring college and university teams from around the country. As part of the competition, we are building a race car to compete against 18 other engineering schools at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Competition events include acceleration (drag race), autocross (short race testing maneuverability), endurance (44km race where cars can reach over 100mph), along with static events in design and project management.

Middlebury Formula Hybrid was established February 2021. Since then, the group secured space in Bicentennial Hall, developed connections with dozens of faculty and staff members at the college, and connected with other teams for advice and materials. This new project is an exciting (and unconventional) undertaking for Middlebury. It has brought together students with and without prior racing and mechanical experience and has been a great opportunity for students at a liberal arts college to participate in a unique engineering challenge.

The team is split up into seven sub-groups. Francesca Whitecross leads the Outreach Team, which handles website design, social media, and promotion to the student body. The Powertrain Team is in charge of connecting the two power units, the KTM250 and EMRAX 228, to the rear wheels using a limited-slip differential. Kevin Grady, Will Cross, and Alex Scott-Hansen have been hard at work this past fall creating templates of and assembling this system. The Aero Team, led by Neehal Haque, handles the bodywork of the car. This covers everything from the design of the body panels to the fabrication of these parts. The Suspension Team has worked to reassemble the existing push-rod suspension and design a quick-release steering wheel and dashboard for the car. Dane Liebermann, Scott Fischer, and Rohan Nath are making that happen. The Combustion Team, with Dan Schroeder and Lucas Tomas, is in charge of the KTM250 dirt bike engine. This includes designing a functional system (including the fuel tank, radiator, shifter, ECU, etc.) that will perform well for the full 44km race. The Tires and Brakes team led by Timo Hemphill (also the Treasurer and leader of the Fundraising Team) has rebuilt the brake system and is in charge of the rims and tires. Lastly, the Electric Team, led by Louis Parizeau, is in charge of designing and making a wiring harness for the car that can be integrated with Dartmouth's 2018 accumulator.

Last fall, we studied the car, rebuilt parts, and designed new components. Now, to make and implement these new parts and to compete this spring, we are hoping to fundraise $15,000. This money will be used for tools, car parts, safety equipment for the student racers, and transportation to and from the New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Thank you for considering!