By: Double Apex

A group of students from ETH Zurich and Lucerne University in Switzerland have reset the 0-100km/h world record. The group entered the Guinness World Record listings for acceleration of electric vehicles in a single-seater open-cockpit car.

The students took roughly a year to develop a car that can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in just 0.956 seconds. In the process they have shattered the previous world record of 1.461 seconds set in September 2022 by a University of Stuttgart team. Kate Maggetti, who weighs a scant 40kg, was behind the wheel.

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This new record makes even the quickest road cars seems slow in comparison. The Rimac Nevera can blast from 0-100km/h 1.81 seconds. Even Formula 1 cars are slower, covering the benchmark sprint in about 2.8 seconds.

The students developed every aspect of the 140kg vehicle. This includes all the electronics, the monocoque and battery. They used a lightweight carbon and aluminium honeycomb structure which is powered by in-house developed four wheel-hub motors. The drivetrain puts out a combined 240kW.

In part, this time was achievable through downforce. “Power isn’t the only thing that matters when it comes to setting an acceleration record – effectively transferring that power to the ground is also key,” said Dario Messerli, head of aerodynamics. The single-seater vehicle doesn’t feature front or rear wings. Instead, the team “developed a kind of vacuum cleaner that holds the vehicle down to the ground by suction.”

The car, called Mythen, can be seen shooting off the line like a bullet, taking a mere 12.3 metres to break the record.

Story courtesy of Double Apex