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Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University has launched the first ever electric racing car made by an African university.
Built from scratch Diba-E will compete in the international 2013 Formula Student Competition in Germany later this month.
The project took two years to complete and involved 70 students from different faculties working around the clock.
''DibaE is a giant leap forward from DibaOne, and includes brand new technologies such as 100KW, 450Nm Brushless-DC electric motor powered by Lithium Polymer batteries, targeting a 0-100Km/h acceleration of under 4.7seconds! Another new development is a unique aerodynamic package incorporating front and rear wings, and a Formula One style under-body diffuser to increase cornering down-force,'' says NMMU Racing formula student project manager Trevor Stroud.
Team leader, Saleem Noorshib, says a key featue of the car is its active aerodynamic system which has movable wings that assist in braking during cornering.
"Also, what's unique about our car is that when we actually steer the car the wings will assist in steering as well. Also with the electric power train that's a whole new field for us because we were all petrol-heads before," he said.
Noorshib says NMMU racing is hoping to achieve a top ten place in Germany
In 2011 NMMU also made history when DibaOne competed in the combustion sector of the international event as the first team from Africa to do so.
