NUST students make Pakistan’s first ever Formula Electric Car

A five-person team of undergrad students from National University of Sciences and Technology has made Pakistan’s first ever Formula Electric Car, making Pakistan one of the 6 countries to be a part of the Formula SAE Lincoln 2016 competition.

Abdul Aleem, Shariq Waqar, Ahsan Lakhani, Imran Riaz, and Syed Muhammad Taha Rizvi are the proud Pakistanis from Formula Electric Racing NUST (FERN), an initiative by PNEC-NUST, that have managed to achieve this immense feat of engineering. They are now ready to lead their team of 14 to the Formula SAE® Lincoln 2016 – a leading American competition for undergraduates.

While 30 teams from 6 countries were able to qualify for the competition, FERN emerged as the only team representing not only Pakistan but the entire Asia.

The car runs on Lithium Ion Polymer Batteries and Project FERN car weighs 275 Kgs. Some of car’s salient features include Rack & Pinion Type steering system, Single Piston custom made aluminum Calliper braking system, and an Unequal A-Arm suspension system with push rods with SP-4 way dampers.

It is capable of achieving a top speed of 110 km/h with an acceleration of 0-75 km in 4.8 seconds.

“Making Pakistan’s First Formula Electric Car was full of challenges but our determination led us to make it all possible and today we stand here proud to be Pakistanis,” said Abdul Aleem, the team leader of FERN.

Bank Alfalah is the official sponsor behind FERN, extending its support in developing indigenous talent and taking innovation in Pakistan to the next level. Their Rising Talent programme is a platform where the youth get opportunities to transform ambitions into success. It provides a prestigious platform to nurture talent and provide exposure to aspiring young and dynamic professionals

“Developing the country’s first Formula Electric Car and representing Pakistan as the finalists for the acclaimed Formula SAE® Lincoln competition from Asia are landmark achievements not only for NUST but for the country,” said Atif Bajwa, President and CEO at Bank Alfalah.

The five-member FERN team also received Bank Alfalah Rising Talent trophies from Atif Bajwa. If Project FERN wins at the Formula SAE Lincoln, all team members will enjoy exemption on certain modules if they wish to pursue their Master’s studies in the US, in addition to enjoying honorable mentions by the Formula SAE Lincoln competition.