Monday, 09 June 2025
University of Nottingham power electronics researchers from the Faculty of Engineering have supported talented youngsters from three Nottingham primary schools to design, build and race their own electric racing cars.
The pupils from Old Basford Primary, Southwark Primary and Our Lady of Perpetual Succour took their electric vehicles onto the track for two days of racing against 30 schools from across the Midlands at the Curborough Sprint Track in Lichfield on June 5 and 6, 2025.
Twenty-three students from the three city schools took part in the project, which is organised annually by the Greenpower Education Trust, a charity that aims to excite young people about science and engineering.
Members of the university’s PEMC group and the cofounders of the university spinout, TTPi, Dr Liliana de Lillo and Professor Lee Empringham, guided the Nottingham pupils through the development during the past three months.
As well as being hands-on in school, working alongside the students, the pair were also in the pits on Race Day, helping the teams to hone the performance of the Goblin-class cars as they took on their rivals.
TTPi, a pioneering power electronics company, which develops cutting-edge technology for use in electric vehicles, was also proud to be a co-sponsor of the Staffordshire Greenpower Goblins event at Curborough, alongside the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and Spacesuit.
“These children are amazing and bright, and they have done a brilliant job developing these cars,” said Dr de Lillo, who is a longtime supporter of the Greenpower Education Trust and a Senior Research Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
Race Day is so exciting for them and us. It is the culmination of hours and hours of commitment and hard work. We hope that for some of these girls and boys, the project will show them how exciting science and engineering can be and encourage them to pursue a career in this field.
She added: “But whatever they decide to do in the future, we hope this experience will ignite their imagination, boost their confidence and show them they can pursue their interests and realise their dreams.”
One pupil from Old Basford Primary who took part in the event said: "It makes me feel really proud because it’s the first time Old Basford School has been in the kit car event."
Another young female mechanic added: "I have learned how to assemble the frame, and see how the buttons and wiring work.
"It was fun, the experience of being a mechanic it is not really in the curriculum," said another young engineer from Southwark Primary.
The Greenpower Education Trust is staging 23 schools’ race meetings throughout England and Scotland this summer.
Last year, more than 600 teams took part. Research by the Trust shows that participating in the project dramatically increases pupils’ interest in science, technology, engineering and maths, and improves their attitude to learning. In addition, the project has a positive impact on the youngsters’ social and emotional skills and boosts their abilities in critical thinking and project solving.
Story credits
More information is available from Dr Liliana de Lillo on Liliana.De_lillo@nottingham.ac.uk
Faith Pring - Media Relations Manager
Email: faith.pring@nottingham.ac.uk
Phone: 0115 748 4411
Location: University of Nottingham, University Park
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About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 24 in Europe and 15th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the third most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2024 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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