HyDriven’s hydrogen racer makes competitive debut at Formula Student Austria
Student team HyDriven has become the first to run a hydrogen fuel cell race car at Formula Student Austria, with its prototype ‘Nova’ successfully cleared for dynamic testing at the Red Bull Ring.
The car, powered by a hydrogen fuel cell stack and high-pressure onboard storage, completed technical scrutineering and achieved partial on-track validation at the annual student engineering competition, traditionally dominated by battery-electric and combustion entries.
It’s the first time a hydrogen-powered car has been formally accepted for competition under Formula Student regulations, according to the team.
Nova drives on hydrogen at FSA
Despite facing what the team described as “fresh challenges at every step,” Nova was signed off as rule-compliant and drove under its own hydrogen power during the event – setting a new top speed in the paddock and becoming what appears to be the first operational hydrogen FCEV ever to run at a Formula Student competition.
Not all dynamic events were completed, but for a first-of-its-kind prototype, simply getting the car to move under fuel cell power at a live event – let alone one with the regulatory stringency of FSA – was the real milestone.
“Nova is a scrutineered, rule-compliant Formula Student car – hydrogen tank and all,” the team posted after the event. “These official recognitions of each subsystem were huge moments for us and for the future of hydrogen in racing.”
“You’re forced to innovate”
HyDriven’s effort caught the attention of judges, rival teams, and spectators alike, many of whom stopped by the paddock for a look under the skin.
Among the feedback was a nod to the isolation that comes with trying something no one else has.
“I really like the fact that you are unique and that you need to have a lot of innovation… you can’t look at other teams for answers. You’re forced to innovate,” one student engineer told them.
The team also paid tribute to the organisers and FSA scrutineering officials, crediting Tobias Pletzchke, Paul Mayr-Harting, Steffen Schmitt, Alexander Kinzer and Sebastian Ulrich for their support in navigating hydrogen’s technical quirks within the competition framework.
Next stop: Formula Student France
Nova’s next event will be Formula Student France, where HyDriven hopes to build on its first public hydrogen run with further development and competitive entries. The team is also preparing a video series documenting the car’s journey so far.
“This was never just about one competition,” the team said. “It’s about paving the way for hydrogen in motorsport, and this week proved we’re on the right path.”
