Some students have built a fully electric 'F1' car

Some students have done what every Formula One fan likely fears the most and built a fully-electric 'F1' car. As part of a global competition aptly named the 'Global Electric Vehicle Challenge' (GEVC), the 25-strong team took F1 car design and spun out a zero-emission version.

The F1-inspired competition car is apparently powered by two batteries and four 12kW electric motors, though before you reach for those pearls, the prototype can only reach speeds of 99mph (160kmh).

We don’t really know that much more about the project, other than it took over 12 months to build.

We do know the challenge specifies the same components for all teams competing, such as the motors, controllers, batteries, wheels and tyres. While the regulations might sound very FIA, the organisers – the US-based Global Education Energy Environment (and the same lot that organise the World Solar Challenge) – discourage large budgets and the use of high-costs materials.

The GEVC competition is a 17-month challenge, which is divided into two separate parts. The first stage concentrates on the technical innovations with a virtual race for teams to compete to get into stage two.

The challenge, according to the GEVC’s website, "places great emphasis on technical innovation, rigorous use of design, analysis and simulation tools in addition to controlled testing".

And while it's an admirable project, the team came second in the competition behind an outfit from Qatar University. Those guys placed first for speed of technical qualification, quality of car manufacture and engineering design.

Hasan Hamdan, studying his masters at Abu Dhabi Uni, said: “The dream is now to work in the F1 industry.” Which, one suspects, is the end-game for all of the competitors of the 21 teams involved.