Do you want to build the next generation electric superbike?
Below, you can read all about the different functions within a racing team. Are you interested in one of the functions listed below? Then fill in the application form at the bottom of the page! Of course this application form is completely non-commital and you can also just expres your interest by filling in the form.
Management
The management team consists of the team manager, chief of powertrain and chassis, marketing & communications, external relations and finance. This team is responsible for a good result after a year of hard work. This team needs to acquire partnerships with companies in order to provide the technical team with enough cash flow and parts to make a racing bike. Next to that, the team also has to let the world know our mission through marketing.
Team Manager
As a team manager you oversee the whole process. Together with the chiefs and other people from the management you secure the planning and progress and you look for solutions to problems. You are also the face of the team and you will regularly get in contact with the press or major partners of the team. As a team manager you have to have a clear vision for the team and be able to look forward for possibilities and big opportunities.
Technical Manager
The technical manager is responsible for the technical development of the superbike. You have to coordinate the communication between the powertrain and the chassis team, which is essential in a multidisciplinary team. You also have to oversee the technical planning and progress of the development. You have to have a broad overview and a wide systems view.
Marketing & PR
Building the superbike is one thing, telling our story to the world another. In order to get exposure for our superbike, we need to be really active on social media and offline media. Everybody in the Netherlands needs to know our story and it is your task to do so! You can organize events, start social media challenges or create a large buzz by doing some kind of spectacular drag race: the floor is all yours.
Graphic Design & Web Design
Together with the marketing, you are working on our graphic design of on- and offline media. This includes merchandising material, like flyers, posters and stickers, but also graphic design for the superbike. In addition to that, we also have a website which has to be updated very regularly.
External Relations
As a student team we have some great partners which allow us to do wonderful things like building this bike. You are responsible for keeping in touch with and expanding our portfolio of partners.
Finance
A small business like a student team needs a good administration, so the finance has to be in order. You manage the budgets and oversee the major cash flow in the team.
Operations
A smooth operation requires everyone to be able to focus on their tasks and have a pleasant work environment. As operations you improve the workshop, make sure the van runs and the engineers have all the tools they need to do their job.
Events
Electric Superbike Twente organizes several events throughout the year. You are responsible for making sure these events go as planned. Examples of the events are: technical presentation, superbike reveal, partner day, new team days.
Powertrain
The powertrain team is responsible for delivering a lot of brute power to our rear wheel. If you’re in the powertrain team, you will work on the inverter, electric motor, battery management systems, control systems, and the battery pack. Electric Superbike Twente’s powertrain team is unique in the way that it designs and manufactures a lot of electric systems themselves, instead of just buying them from manufacturers!
Chief Powertrain
As chief powertrain you are responsible for the whole electronics department. You make the important decisions concerning the electrical systems and you keep an eye on the planning you made. Also you’re in touch with the companies that support our team on the electronical side.
Battery (Management System) Engineer
The behaviour of the battery cells needs to be monitored and managed at all times. As battery (managament system) engineer you are not only responsible for putting together the battery pack with the best cells possible, but also for making sure the cells behave the way that is most feasible and efficient.
Software Engineer
As a software engineer you’re working on the battery management system or the custom ECU. These components need programming, in order to communicate with all the different systems. As a software engineer you need to have a broad overview of all the electrical systems and allow the superbike to have maximum power. Another topic of interest is wireless communication, via Bluetooth to our Bluetooth network, or via radio to the pitbox. The programming is done in C++ through embedded systems.
Inverter Engineer
In our current superbikes we use a standard motor controller: the Bamocar D3. This controler is delivering a maximum amount of kW with a certain efficiency. Next year, a big challenge is creating a better, higher-power and more efficient motor controller in collaboration with an electric motor. Another challenge is integrating the design of the inverter with the complete superbike, which saves al lot of space and weight. This will require a lot of cooperation with the other engineers
Data Acquisist
All the electronical data that has been collected by the powertrain team has to be centralized and put into order to be analyzed. You are also responsible for analyzing the data of all current superbikes, which is really valuable for improving the next generation motorcycle of your team.
Chassis
The chassis team makes sure the power created by the powertrain team gets to the track properly. Designing a racing bike chassis is a fine art, which is a defined by lots of testing and trying out. Next to that, the whole bodywork, swingarm, electric motor housing and all brackets and parts have to be designed in a way that is both strong and lightweight.
Chief Chassis
As chief chassis you are responsible for the whole design of the chassis. This includes all components like the frame, swingarm, electric motor housing, aerodynamics and the battery construction. It is essential that you have a broad systems view, due to all the interactions between the components. You have to factor in weight, dimensions, regulations and ease of use. You are also responsible for the communication with the different companies that produce the components and help us with our problems.
Frame Engineer
The frame is the main component of the motorcycle, this will keep all the components in place and has to comply with the many specifications that will make a racing motorcycle ride like it should. Lots of concepts and simulations have to be run in order to create a frame that will be both functional and light, but also ridable and strong. Material knowledge and knowledge of production methods is key in this area.
Motor Construction Engineer
Previous years, our partners did the motor design and our task was to create a housing that was able to water cool the motor and keep it in its place. You are going to look into different production methods that will allow the motor to be lighter and stronger. Also different state of the art motor designs, like axial flux or PMAC, have to be evaluated. A lot of communication with the electrical engineers is key.
Swingarm Engineer
In addition to the frame, the swingarm is crucial to the handling of the superbike. Again this part has to be simulated a lot in order to gain the right amount of flex and stiffness. As done in the MotoGP, experiments can be done with different materials and different designs, for example with carbon fiber swingarms.
Battery Construction Engineer
Essential in an electric motorcycle is the battery pack. There are many ways to implement the battery pack in the motorcycle, one could choose to make the system modular or to integrate the design in the frame.
Bodywork (Aerodynamics) Engineer
Although a motorcycle is known to be not really aerodynamic, playing with the airflow around will be a major improvement to the overall efficiency of the vehicle. This should allow the vehicle to have a higher top speed and better acceleration. As in MotoGP, another component that has to be analyzed is the use and effect of downforce in motorcycles. Last but not least, the appearance is also important, since we’re trying to show that sustainability is really cool!