Three-time Student Formula champion Nagoya University Team FEM adopts Vicor power technology for its EV racing car.
Three-time Student Formula champion Nagoya University Team FEM adopts Vicor power technology for its EV racing car
Highly efficient, compact, and lightweight DC-DC converter modules reduce vehicle weight and improve system reliability
In addition to winning the EV class for the third consecutive year at the 2025 Student Formula Japan Championship, FEM also won the "Lightest Weight Award" for significantly reducing vehicle weight from 230kg the previous year to 219kg. Kentaro Tanaka, team manager and low-voltage electrical system manager, said, "In pursuit of the team's goal of 'attractive traction,' we focused primarily on system stability in the low-voltage electrical system design while also considering weight reduction."
In their quest to improve their car's performance, FEM faced the challenge of increasing power consumption in their low-voltage systems as they strengthened their cooling systems. Toshiyuki Kaneda, in charge of low-voltage electrical systems and ESO (Electrical System Officer), recalls the situation at the time: "The converters we had previously used were large and heavy, and sometimes became so hot that they were difficult to touch after driving. What's more, Vicor products were the only compact commercially available products that could handle the maximum 600V to 24V conversion required for our vehicle."
To solve this challenge, FEM selected Vicor modules, based on their proven track record with top international teams. The power system uses Vicor's isolated bus converter BCM4414 to generate an intermediate voltage from the high-voltage battery (maximum 600V), and then converts that output to a stable 24V and 12V using two DC-DC converters, DCM3623, to supply power to critical loads such as cooling fans and pumps.
This new power system offered FEM several technical advantages. "The Vicor module is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, making it extremely easy to install in vehicles with limited space. Another major benefit was that, even though we needed multiple voltages such as 12V and 24V, using the module simplified the power supply wiring, which can often be complicated. Since a racing car is more stable the lower the center of gravity, being able to place lightweight components higher on the vehicle also improved driving performance," says Kaneda. An issue arose with pre-charging at startup, but was resolved using the module's shutdown function.
This success has also provided great inspiration to young members like Shinto Takishita, who joined the team this year in charge of low-voltage electrical systems. "Seeing my seniors win the championship made me really want to be able to contribute to the team as soon as possible."
Next year, the team plans to use Vicor modules to integrate a low-voltage battery charging system into the DC-DC converter, further reducing weight and simplifying the circuitry.
About Vicor
Vicor Corporation designs, develops, manufactures and markets modular power components and complete power systems based upon a portfolio of patented technologies. Headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts, Vicor sells its products to the power systems market, including enterprise and high performance computing, industrial equipment and automation, telecommunications and network infrastructure, vehicles and transportation, aerospace and defense. www.vicorpower.com
Vicor, BCM®, and DCM™ are registered trademarks of Vicor Corporation.
About Nagoya University Student Formula Team FEM
The Nagoya University Student Formula Team FEM was founded in November 2003 with the goal of winning the Student Formula Japan Championship. Since the 15th championship in 2017, the team has competed with electric vehicles and has consistently achieved top-level results in Japan. Currently, the team has approximately 60 members, and is working toward the overall victory in the Japan Championship and the world's top ranking. For more information, please visit https://www.nagoya-fem.com/.