Somaiya Vidyavihar University is celebrating a remarkable achievement by its students from K J Somaiya College of Engineering. The university's Mega Project team, Orion Racing India, secured a commendable 25th place out of 38 finalists at the prestigious Formula Student Austria 2024, held at the iconic Red Bull Ring F1 Track in Spielberg, Austria. Competing with their third electric vehicle (EV) prototype, named Pegasus, the team made history as India’s first EV team to successfully complete an Endurance Event on the international stage.
Formula Student Austria is an esteemed international engineering competition that challenges university students worldwide to design, build, and race small, formula-style vehicles. This event is part of the larger Formula Student series, renowned for pushing the boundaries of innovation and engineering among students. Orion Racing India’s performance in this competition is particularly significant as they became the first Indian EV team to achieve this milestone.
The team excelled in various events throughout the competition. In the Static Events, they achieved a remarkable 5th place in the Cost and Manufacturing Event, 15th place in the Business Plan Presentation Event, and 30th place in the Engineering Design Event. In the Dynamic Events, the team stood out with a 20th place finish in the Autocross Event, and impressive 9th place finishes in both the Endurance and Efficiency Events. These accomplishments have not only set a new standard for the team but also established an international record as the first Indian EV team to complete endurance internationally. Additionally, Orion Racing India is now the first and only Indian team to achieve this feat in both the combustion and electric vehicle categories.