TEKNOFEST International Efficiency Challenge Electric Vehicle Races

TEKNOFEST International Efficiency Challenge Electric Vehicle Competition is an engineering competition organized by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK) since 2005 and, since 2019, implemented within the framework of TEKNOFEST Aviation Space and Technology Festival, focusing on alternative and clean energy sources. The competition aims to foster the development of sustainable transportation technologies, build practical experience and cultivate qualified human resources for Türkiye’s electric vehicle sector.

^{TEKNOFEST International Efficiency Challenge Electric Vehicle Competitions (Photo: T3 Foundation)}

The primary aim of the Efficiency Challenge is to raise awareness among high school, associate degree and undergraduate students about eco-friendly energy solutions, introduce them to electric vehicle technologies and equip them with knowledge, skills and competencies relevant to the sector. Simultaneously, the competition seeks to strengthen participants’ abilities in engineering design, project management, teamwork, innovation and problem solving, promote the development of electric vehicle technologies and encourage young people to generate ideas in this field.

The competitions are organized internationally by TÜBİTAK under the TEKNOFEST umbrella. Students from high schools, associate degree and undergraduate programs in Türkiye and abroad are eligible to participate. Participants must apply as teams, with each team required to:

• Consist of a minimum of five and a maximum of twenty-five members including the advisor,
• Include mandatory roles: one Advisor, one Team Captain, one Driver and one Alternate Driver.

The Efficiency Challenge is conducted in two categories:

1. Electromobile Category: Focuses on the efficiency, design and technological capabilities of vehicles powered by electricity.

2. Hydrogenmobile Category: Focuses on innovative solutions for the development of vehicles powered by hydrogen.

^{TEKNOFEST International Efficiency Challenge Electric Vehicle Competitions (Photo: T3 Foundation)}

The competition is conducted according to ten distinct guideline booklets. These booklets contain all details regarding technical requirements, safety criteria, reporting formats and the competition process. Evaluation consists of three main stages:

1. Development Report Stage: Teams submit and are evaluated on a technical development report documenting their progress on the project.

2. Video Control Stage: Teams submit videos demonstrating that their vehicles comply with established rules.

3. Technical Design Report Stage: The engineering designs, layout configurations and technical analyses of the vehicles are detailed and assessed.

The competition contributes to the advancement of electric and hydrogen vehicle technologies while providing participants with hands-on training in project management, team cohesion, engineering systems, innovative idea generation and sustainability. It also promotes collaboration between academia and industry, helping students establish professional connections within the sector.

The TEKNOFEST International Efficiency Challenge Electric Vehicle Competition aims to create an inspiring and innovative platform that reveals the potential of young minds in eco-friendly transportation technologies, in alignment with Türkiye’s Technology Initiative. It also makes significant contributions toward increasing domestic production and R&D capacity in electric vehicle technologies. Indeed, some projects accepted in this competition have directly contributed to the development of locally produced electric vehicles.