Students from the Prague British International School (PBIS) will travel to Las Vegas, USA to compete in the prestigious Horizon Hydrogen Grand Prix (H2GP) World Final with their own hydrogen-powered car. The team of five has designed, engineered and built a clean energy vehicle from scratch in only five months. The student-built car is powered by a hydrogen cell that charges a conventional battery. Now, they will put their 1:10 scale car model to test in an endurance race over 6 hours, competing against students from around the world.
Prepared for the high-pressure environment much like a Formula 1 crew, the PBIS Hydro team of five students from Year 13 will compete with cars from over 20 countries. “We are divided into ‘pilots’ and ‘mechanics,’ each contributing with our unique skills. The pilots will be driving the car while the mechanics will be coming up with quick fixes during the race,“ explains Jacek Chmiel, 17, who has built the PBIS Hydro team from among his fellow students. “The last five months have been unforgettable. We learnt so many practical skills. Along the way, we had to solve engineering tasks such as how to design effective cooling, distribute weight, or how to make a decision between a two or four-wheel drive. We learnt what it takes to build the chassis and body of a car,” Jacek adds excitedly.
These engineering challenges were tackled in PBIS’s specialist STEAM Room in Prague, showcasing the depth of talent of PBIS students. “This wasn’t just a classroom exercise, it was a chance to solve a real-world problem in a remarkably short time. In just 5 months, the PBIS Hydro team have become contenders on a global level. We are proud to say that our students are equipped to become the problem solvers of tomorrow, venturing into the automotive industry and enhancing it with clean energy sources,” emphasises Vendula Kobzova, Head of the Faculty of Experimental Sciences at PBIS.
Prague British International School (PBIS) is a Prague-based international school and part of the world’s leading premium Nord Anglia Education network of international schools. Following a premium STEAM curriculum in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics, students are encouraged to solve problems creatively and to embrace curiosity, and through Nord Anglia Education’s unique partnership with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are given the opportunity to learn from world-leading experts. This culture of excellence, combined with world-class teaching staff, gave the Hydro PBIS team the confidence and skills to design and build their own hydrogen-powered vehicle from the ground up. The Hydro PBIS initiative was enabled with the generous support of the Clean Planet Foundation, ORLEN Unipetrol, and Garrett Motion.
The Horizon Hydrogen Grand Prix World Final, taking place from 11-14 September, is a major showcase for clean energy innovation. Hosted at RE+, North America’s largest renewable energy trade show, the event gathers more than 27,000 professionals from the industry. The competition invites students from over 20 countries to design, engineer, and race 1:10 scale hydrogen-powered cars, spotlighting the latest advancements in clean energy technology.