Sapienza Fast Charge#
About this page
For the content of this page, we have directly involved the team discussed, which corresponds to their presentation of it.
Sapienza Fast Charge is the Formula Student Electric team of Sapienza University of Rome.
The team operates similarly to a real automotive company, with students involved in every stage of the project: from vehicle design and manufacturing to marketing, communication, management, and track operations.
Sapienza Fast Charge designs and builds a single electric Formula Student race car capable of both manual and autonomous driving, developed to compete in international Formula Student competitions.
Throughout the year, team members work on a wide range of activities, including vehicle development, manufacturing, testing, events, exhibitions, and competitions, while continuing their university studies.
Founded in 2012, the team is made up of around 80 students from different faculties and degree programmes at Sapienza University of Rome.
Team Structure#
The team is divided into four main areas, each responsible for different aspects of the project:
- Mechanics & Aerodynamics (M&A)
- Battery, Electronics & Powertrain (BEP)
- Autonomous System (AS)
- Business & Management (B&M)
Mechanics & Aerodynamics (M&A)#
The Mechanics & Aerodynamics area is responsible for the design, manufacturing, assembly, and optimization of the car’s mechanical and aerodynamic systems.
Its activities include:
- Chassis design and manufacturing
- Suspension setup and vehicle dynamics
- Braking system
- Steering system
- Aerodynamic development
- Mechanical integration of vehicle components
- Actuators required for autonomous driving
The area works to ensure that the car is lightweight, reliable, efficient, and capable of delivering consistent performance both in manual and autonomous operation.
Battery, Electronics & Powertrain (BEP)#
The Battery, Electronics & Powertrain area is the technological heart of the vehicle.
It is responsible for both high-voltage and low-voltage systems, ensuring that the vehicle’s electrical architecture operates safely, efficiently, and reliably.
The area works on:
- High-voltage battery system
- Electric motor and powertrain
- Power electronics
- Low-voltage electrical systems
- ECU and embedded control units
- Custom electronic boards
- Sensors and data acquisition
- Vehicle communication systems
- Safety and monitoring systems
- Electronics for both manual and autonomous driving
BEP ensures the integration between the electrical, electronic, and powertrain systems that allow the vehicle to operate in all driving modes.
Autonomous System (AS)#
The Autonomous System area is responsible for the development and implementation of the complete autonomous driving system.
Its main objective is to enable the car to perceive the track, estimate its position, plan a safe and efficient trajectory, and control the vehicle in real time.
The system combines data from LiDAR, depth cameras, and onboard sensors to build an accurate representation of the surrounding environment. Through sensor fusion and SLAM, the car can localize itself within the track and continuously update its understanding of the surroundings.
Based on this information, the path planning algorithms generate the trajectory to follow, while the vehicle control system translates it into steering, acceleration, and braking commands.
The complete autonomous driving pipeline follows this structure:
Autonomous Driving Pipeline#
Perception → Localization → Mapping → Planning → Control
Real-time telemetry and diagnostics are used throughout the system to monitor performance, reliability, and safety during testing and competitions.
These technologies allow the same race car used in manual driving to operate autonomously during Driverless Formula Student events, adapting in real time to track conditions while maintaining high levels of safety and reliability.
Business & Management (B&M)#
The Business & Management area manages the organizational, commercial, and communication aspects of the team.
Its responsibilities include:
- Sponsorship acquisition and management
- Relationships with partner companies
- Event organization
- External relations
- Logistics
- Social media management
- Communication and team branding
- Project management support
- Supervision of project timelines
During Formula Student competitions, the area is also responsible for developing the Business Plan.
With the support of the technical areas, B&M also contributes to the preparation of reports related to the costs, production processes, and manufacturing strategies of the vehicle.
A Multidisciplinary Engineering Project#
Sapienza Fast Charge is much more than a racing team.
It is a multidisciplinary project where students can apply the knowledge acquired during their studies to a complex real-world engineering challenge.
Team members work together throughout the entire development cycle:
Development Cycle#
Design → Simulate → Manufacture → Test → Analyze → Improve
This approach allows students to develop both technical and professional skills while working in an environment that closely reflects the dynamics of the automotive and motorsport industries.
With Us, You Will Have the Opportunity To#
- Design and optimize high-performance systems
- Develop and test real automotive components
- Experiment with innovative circuits, electronics, and hardware
- Work with autonomous driving, AI, and advanced sensors
- Gain hands-on experience in manufacturing and vehicle testing
- Participate in international Formula Student competitions
- Collaborate with students from different academic backgrounds
- Work directly with companies and industry partners
- Contribute to the development of a real electric and autonomous race car
- Push technological limits in a highly competitive engineering environment
Join us in this exciting journey at the frontier of sustainable, high-tech racing!