Bentley wins green award

It may not look anything like a luxurious Bentley but it sure has Greenpower.

The British manufacturer has won a special Spirit of Greenpower award for its environmental performance in the recent Greenpower Corporate Challenge at Goodwood race circuit.

A Bentley Motors' apprentice team designed, engineered and built the electric-powered car, which they entered in the Greenpower Challenge and F24+ racing season.

The Bentley Greenpower car is the Continental DC (Direct Current) and runs off a 24-volt motor supplied by two 12-volt batteries.

Designed for lightness and maximum power efficiency, the one-seater Continental DC has a carbon fibre chassis and low-resistance tyres.

However, it wouldn't be a Bentley without a touch of luxury. Therefore, the interior is trimmed with alcantara and a touch-screen driver information panel is in development.

Greenpower is a series of events that aim to promote greater interest in young people to follow careers in the fields of engineering and technology.

The 2008 Greenpower corporate challenge was the first race of the season.

Twenty-five teams entered, comprising 15 school entries and 10 company teams.

The Bentley team achieved their goal of completing the four-hour race, despite some technical difficulties in the first section.

The award was given in recognition of their excellent team spirit that they showed in overcoming these initial technical challenges.

The F24+ season consists of eight 90-minute endurance race events that will culminate in a grand final at Goodwood in October.

Race tracks on the F24+ schedule include Dunsfold, Rockingham, Croft and Aintree.

The Bentley Motors team is composed of nine of the company's apprentices who are all following a three or four-year apprenticeship scheme at the factory in Crewe.

Having taken the initiative themselves to compete in the Greenpower challenge the apprentices have devoted weekends and evenings for the past 10 months taking full responsibility for all aspects of the car's development.

Three team members acted as drivers on race day, the rest of the team provided essential back-up support in the pits.

Bentley Greenpower car

Motor: 24v electric wheelchair motor

Power: 240 watt

Torque: 7Nm

Top speed: 64km/h

CO2 emissions: 0g/km

Suspension: fixed carbonfibre wishbones

Wheels: 1x16 carbonfibre with bespoke Michelin low-resistance tyres

Batteries: 2 x 12v lead acid

Transmission: continuous, one-wheel drive

Steering: rack and pinion