Széchenyi István University’s Formula Student Team Unveils Its First Electric Car
- Márton Horváth
- Jul 8
- 7 min read
In January, Arrabona Racing Team announced that—following trends in the automotive industry and Formula Student—they would replace their internal combustion engine with an electric powertrain. In the year since that historic decision, the team has built its first car of the new era: at their traditional annual rollout event, the public was able to see the new model, named ART_12, which will have its first official competition in August at the FS Alpe Adria race in Croatia.
This year’s rollout event by the Arrabona Racing Team attracted more attention than usual, as the team from Győr unveiled something unprecedented: their first car powered by batteries instead of fuel. The heightened anticipation was driven by curiosity about this shift in era: what kind of vehicle will last year’s Hungarian competition winner debut in the electric category? What will the unique DTI-ART collaboration yield in the Formula Student world? And how competitive will the new car be in an increasingly dense electric field? Attendees at the event held in the Innovation Park building of Széchenyi István University could find answers to these and other questions.
“The victory at last year’s FS East was a historic moment, an unparalleled success in Hungarian higher education, and a fitting closure of an era,” recalled Dr. Eszter Lukács, Vice President for International Affairs and Strategic Relations at Széchenyi István University, in her welcome speech. “Today’s event is not only the unveiling of a vehicle but a milestone in the life of the team, which boldly stepped in a new, more sustainable direction. It is a priority for our university to train professionals who are prepared for the current challenges of a rapidly changing world, and the Arrabona Racing Team’s activities contribute significantly to this goal,” she stated.
Barna Tumpek, head of the product data management and homologation support department at Audi Hungaria Zrt., also emphasized the importance of student talent workshops in his speech. “When I walk around campus, I always see the workshop lights on, work being done inside, someone polishing parts near the open door. The team has a positive atmosphere: creative, innovative, dynamic, agile, independent, and responsible. We see many talented and driven students who are not only professionally prepared but know what it’s like to work on a project, be flexible, and handle conflict—because they’ve already been through these situations. These are not skills you just pick off a tree, and Audi Hungaria greatly values that. Many of our employees have come from the Arrabona Racing Team,” he said.
Before unveiling the car, the program featured several panel discussions. First up was Tibor Hermann, managing director of FRIMO Hungary Kft., one of ART’s longest-standing supporters, who introduced the company. In their collaboration, FRIMO manufactures custom parts for the team, while students support the company in marketing and are welcomed as interns or even full-time employees.
As Szilárd Bariska, team leader of Arrabona Racing Team, explained, there were some concerns that the category switch might cause some sponsors to pull out. However, the opposite happened: new partners replaced the old ones, and the team established more partnerships than ever before, showing the industry’s openness toward e-mobility and innovative technologies.
Among these supporters, Drivetrain Innovation Kft. (DTI) stands out. They offered their high-efficiency inverter—developed specifically for race cars—to the Széchenyi University team first. Normally, each team would have to design such a component themselves, but DTI created a universal product adaptable to any vehicle. They provided it to ART as a pilot project, demonstrating their trust in the team. The ART-DTI collaboration is unique and forward-thinking in the Formula Student world and could serve as a model for others.
Richárd Sárkány, one of DTI’s founders, also discussed another special project where they replaced the drivetrain of a vintage Porsche sports car with an electric one, based on an idea by journalist Gábor Bazsó, known by his alias “Karotta.” At the event, Bazsó shared his enthusiasm: “In the 2010s, I explored how to turn a ’70s sports car into a modern track vehicle—this was the Hangyász. But I didn’t marry gasoline; I married cars. So I knew my next project would be electrification.”
“I didn’t want to build a Tesla out of a Porsche—that’s already been done, and you should just buy that from Tesla. The goal was to imagine what a 1976 Porsche would’ve been like with the same driving experience but powered by electricity. Many Porsches have been converted, but not with the constraint of preserving the core traits of ‘Porsche-ness.’ That means maintaining the same weight distribution, keeping the rear bias, preserving the mechanical transmission, and limiting weight change to 15%. And it still had to be a usable car, with decent performance, so we installed a sufficiently large battery pack. The result is amazing—but it’s not my accomplishment. I only managed the project; anyone could have done that. What DTI contributed, no one else could have,” he emphasized.
Participants in the discussion also shared their views on the global shift to electric vehicles. According to Richárd Sárkány, EVs will carve out a significant portion of the energy mix, but gasoline and diesel vehicles will still have a (smaller but relevant) role. In contrast, Gábor Bazsó argued extensively that e-mobility will eventually push all other options off the market.
“I think gasoline and diesel’s days are numbered, and apart from some very niche uses, the overwhelming majority of passenger kilometers will be electric. There will be rapid upticks, pauses, and plot twists, but there’s no question where we’re headed. Why? Because of physics. If someone drives 100 kilometers with a traditional car that consumes 6 liters of fuel, and then does the same trip with an EV and plugs it in, they’ll find it used 20 kWh of energy—versus 60 for the gas car. You did the same thing with three times less energy. In the long run, there’s no outcome where physics doesn’t win. It’s cheaper, it’s more efficient. And beyond that, the advantages of electric mobility are countless,” he explained.
As Szilárd Bariska recalled, the Arrabona Racing Team had long been toying with the idea of switching categories. During the COVID period in 2020, electronics division leader Benedek Kovács was tasked with developing a concept. “We agreed to drive the rear wheels independently with two motors and only modify the old chassis as necessary. It quickly became clear that this was a bigger task than expected, so we approached SZEnergy and the Automotive Research Center for help, as well as Bosch as a supporter. Still, the biggest challenge wasn’t technical knowledge—it was organization. We realized we could only build an EV if we formed a new team, which we ultimately didn’t do at the time,” he recalled.
A few years later, in 2024, the winds had shifted. While there was no external pressure, the rapid transition of the field to electric power signaled that real competition and innovation no longer lay in internal combustion. Anyone wanting to keep up needed to make the switch. But this is costly and risky—it only makes sense with team cohesion and sponsor backing. By the end of last summer, everything was in place: DTI’s offer of collaboration, including inverters, motor controllers, and full technical support, convinced leadership to commit.
“This was one of those situations where a decision had to be made—and it had to be the right one. It took courage—we left the familiar for the unknown, and as gasoline enthusiasts, it was hard to let go of the internal combustion engine, especially after last year’s success. But the time for change had come. We’re not the only ones: several teams that competed in the internal combustion category last year are now racing electric. The longer waiting list in the electric category clearly shows the direction Formula Student is heading,” Bariska explained.
Technical details of the ART_12 were presented by chief engineer Mátyás Frech.
“This year, we started from scratch—no previous design limited us. Our drivetrain uses completely new technology. The battery system operates at 600 volts, the maximum allowed by regulations, and uses cylindrical cells for maximum reliability. We intentionally oversized the system to explore its limits during testing, which still leaves us room to optimize,” he explained.
The silicon carbide-based inverters provided by DTI can operate at over 98% efficiency. While the previous car was rear-wheel drive, the new design allows individual motors for each wheel, enabling finer control. As the max output is 80 kW, increasing downforce was necessary for higher speeds—achieved through aerodynamic elements like a streamlined body. The cooling system, previously designed for an internal combustion engine, was significantly downsized and complemented by new side ducts and wings.
“For a first-year electric car, it’s a big leap, and unique in the entire field. I’ve seen innovations not only unseen in previous ART cars but also rare among other teams. There’s huge potential in it, and lots of room for development in the coming years,” said Márton Baráth, an ART alumnus and Audi Hungaria employee, who added: electric power has both advantages and disadvantages in terms of reliability. “With fewer moving parts, there’s less risk of hose rupture or leaks. There’s less vibration, and the cooling system is less sensitive. On the other hand, electronic controllers are very sensitive: if any value spikes, the system shuts down immediately, which can cause a momentary or complete stop,” he noted.
Finally, Szilárd Bariska stated that since FS East’s organizers announced the cancellation of this year’s event, the team will make its debut at the FS Alpe Adria competition in Croatia in August. Until then, extensive testing will continue throughout the summer.
