Craft-Bamboo Racing, in partnership with Haier Washing Machine, are proud to reveal the Formula Haier, a formula car powered by a Haier washing machine motor. This project is not only a concept, it is a working and driving formula car that will be used to take on engineering challenges throughout 2019 to demonstrate the power and control of the Haier Direct Drive washing machine motor.
Craft-Bamboo Racing is an international motorsport team based in Hong Kong, with workshops in the UK and Malaysia. Having achieved global success through the years in various championships around the world, Craft-Bamboo Racing was appointed by Haier to undertake this engineering challenge.
Haier is a leading global household appliance manufacturer headquartered in Qingdao, China. Haier designs, manufactures and sells a wide, comprehensive range of household appliances including washing machines, air-conditioners, refrigerators and smart devices. Haier’s patented 28-36 Electromagnetic Direct Drive motor is used in Haier Washing Machines all over the world, and is the key element in powering the Formula Haier.
With motorsport being the ultimate proving ground for testing technology, strength, and reliability, the Formula Haier was the chosen platform to show the world how robust the Haier washing machine motor truly was. Craft-Bamboo Racing’s engineers put the motor to the test by placing it on a dyno, and quickly came to the conclusion that this project was achievable. Upon further research and testing of Haier’s patented 28-36 Electromagnetic Direct Drive Motor, it was found that a single motor developed 660w of power and 45nm of torque; giving the car the strength it needed to power a formula car.
Motor/Car Details
The biggest challenge was the main difference between the Formula Haier and a traditional single seater; a conventional Formula car uses a petrol powered engine and the concept was to integrate the electric motor and battery system in place of the petrol engine. To further maximise the performance of the Formula Haier, Craft-Bamboo Racing developed custom, streamlined bodywork with the aim of reducing both aerodynamic and mechanical drag. This also required a radical modification of the gearbox to work with this unique motor.
Additionally, the motor normally runs off a 230v AC supply, and this had to be adapted to run on a 12v car battery. This required several design modifications to power and control the motor.
Proof-of-Concept
Haier’s washing machine motor-powered Formula Car is proof of strength, reliability and diverse applicability of the motors that can be found in Haier washing machines sold on the consumer market. As the automotive and motorsport industries are experiencing a revolution in electrification of vehicles, this proof-of-concept opened the door to test this motor in a unique challenge. The Formula Haier project showcases Craft-Bamboo Racing’s diverse engineering capabilities and expertise applied effectively to give life to this bold and creative concept.
Quotes
Darryl O’Young – Director of Craft-Bamboo Racing
“Craft-Bamboo Racing is a team that strives to challenge ourselves on the race track, but also off the track. When Haier came to us with the challenge of building a washing machine powered formula car, it sounded like an impossible task, but we remained open minded and took the challenge head on. What surprised us the most was the power that the Haier direct drive washing machine motor delivered. We took this motor onto a dyno and we quickly realised this could be done. The engineers really delivered on the project to turn this dream into reality, and with several phases of this project planned, we look forward to the challenges ahead.”
Russell O’Hagan – Operations Director of Craft-Bamboo Racing
“There were several challenges in the design phase of this project, such as minimizing the weight, streamlining the aerodynamic drag of the car, and most importantly integrating Haier’s washing machine motor technology to the car. We managed to pull it off by radically adapting and designing bespoke parts for the Formula Haier car, and the progress we have made is pretty groundbreaking. This sets a great foundation for the Formula Haier project, and the plan is to further develop the prototype going into the future by pushing the limits of the motor.”
Mr. Qichao Sun – Marketing and Communication Director
We’ve always seen motorsport as the ultimate proving ground, and working with Craft-Bamboo Racing was a natural fit considering their achievements on-track and off. We started off by searching for a way to creatively prove several aspects of our patented 28-36 Electromagnetic Motor, and Craft-Bamboo Racing’s solution was to integrate our motor system into a Formula Car. We were thoroughly impressed with the engineering expertise and adaptability of technology into the Formula Haier prototype. Going forward, this sets a new path for Haier Washing Machine and we hope to work with Craft-Bamboo Racing to take on further challenges in the world of motorsport.