First Electric Hill Climb Racing Formula

Kolben Racing

Kolben Racing is pioneering the first electric hill climb racing formula in Europe. The team combines technical expertise, passion for motorsport, and collaboration with professionals. Thanks to partners and hard work, we are heading toward success.

The Kolben Racing team has set out to build the first electric hill climb racing formula in Europe—a project that goes far beyond typical student activities. Kolben Racing has set a goal that requires not only technical knowledge but also the ability to build collaborations with motorsport professionals.

This project is not just about building a formula car—it’s about finding our limits and pushing beyond them, pioneering electric power in the challenging world of European hill climb racing.

Progress in 2024:

In 2024, we accomplished a huge amount of work and took a giant step forward. The biggest milestone this year was completing the development phase and finding the optimal cost-to-performance balance. In June, the team joined Kolben Racing, marking the start of our collaboration.

Over the summer holidays, we decided to purchase a rollbar and other components. This gave us hands-on experience with the concept of the electric powertrain setup, which will be a key element of our groundbreaking hill climb formula.

We also bought our electric motor, the Emrax 208.

Why PCBWay Support Matters for Kolben Racing

Kolben Racing relies heavily on custom PCBs for our pioneering electric hill climb formula—especially in the power distribution system, battery management interface, sensor integration, and real-time control units. Rapid PCB prototyping is critical to iterate designs quickly, test under steep hill climb conditions, and meet tight competition deadlines.

With PCBWay’s fast, high-quality PCB manufacturing, we can:

• Accelerate development of multi-layer control boards optimized for high-torque electric propulsion
• Test safety-critical systems (BMS, HV interlocks, telemetry) with real hardware on demanding inclines
• Involve more students in hands-on electronics design
• Reduce costs and lead times compared to traditional suppliers

This support will directly contribute to a safer, faster, and more competitive electric hill climb race car—while giving the next generation of engineers real-world experience in sustainable motorsport electronics.

We are excited to partner with PCBWay and drive innovation in the future of electric hill climb racing in Europe.