De geschiedenis van HAN Hydromotive is er eentje die al ver terug gaat. In 2009 waren een aantal studenten zo enthousiast na afloop van het project ‘HAN Eco-Marathon’, dat ze deel wilden nemen aan de Shell Eco-Marathon. Ze zijn het team HAN Hydromotive gestart en hebben zich volledig gestort op deze wedstrijd.

Van 2010 tot en met 2012 is er deelgenomen met ons eerste voertuig, de ‘Arval Inspire I’. Dit voertuig was opgebouwd uit hout. Wegens tijdgebrek en weinig ervaring met waterstof is er in 2010 deelgenomen in de categorie ‘benzine’. De jaren hierna is er deelgenomen in de categorie ’waterstof’. Het beste resultaat met dit voertuig is een behaalde derde plaats op de Shell Eco-marathon 2011 in Lausitz, met een verbruik van 1 : 602 km/l.

Van 2013 tot en met 2015 is er deelgenomen met ons tweede voertuig de ‘Arval Inspire II’. De technieken zijn in de jaren verbeterd, waardoor er meer achtergrondstudies gedaan zijn naar het bouwen van een Shell Eco-marathon voertuig. De Arval Inspire II is in 3D ontwikkeld en volledig gebouwd uit composieten. Tijdens de bouw is er rekening gehouden met een aantal doelstellingen die gesteld waren. Een van die doelstellingen was om de Arval Inspire II straatlegaal te maken. Hiermee hebben wij bewezen dat studenten van de HAN een extreem zuinig voertuig kunnen maken voor de Nederlandse wegen. De tweede doelstelling was om de Arval Inspire II geschikt voor twee personen te maken. Het beste resultaat met dit voertuig is een behaalde derde plaats op de Shell Eco-marathon 2014 in Rotterdam, met een verbruik van 1 op 510 km/l.

Vanaf 2016 werd er deelgenomen met ons derde voertuig. De ABN AMRO Lease Accelerator. Met dit voertuig is een verbruik van 1 op 570 km/l gehaald. Het doorontwikkelen van dit voertuig in de twee jaar hierna leverde een nog beter resultaat op, maar vanwege technische mankementen is er geen resultaat meer neergezet.

In 2019 was er opnieuw succes: een derde plaats, met een verbruik van 1 op 692 km/l! Dit kwam vooral door het nieuwe voertuig, de HM10. Voor de tiende editie was dit voertuig bewapend met een vernieuwd energie management systeem. Ook had de wagen een compleet nieuwe body en een nieuw chassis. 

Vanaf 2021 rijden wij met de HM22 met alweer een nieuw record die de tot nu toe behaalde resultaten lang en breed overtreft: een verbruik van 1 op 893 km/l!. Dit kwam voornamelijk door de opnieuw ontwikkelde ophanging en de nog efficiëntere aandrijving. Met dit resultaat plaatst het team zich officieel als derde in de wereldranglijst.

In 2022-2023 was het weer tijd voor een nieuwe bollide, de HM23. Met tot op heden het allerbeste resultaat op de wereldranglijst, namelijk een tweede plaats! Als beste van de benelux behaalden wij een verbruik van 1 op 750 km/l! dit alles ondanks de enorme hoogteverschillen die we op het circuit ondervonden. Dit was goed genoeg voor de tweede plek. Een geweldig resultaat! 

Team manager

Hi, I am Mees de Groot, team manager of HAN Hydromotive. I'm a student at HAN University of Applied Sciences, pursuing a degree in Automotive Engineering. 

I have always had a passion for cars. It started with memorizing all car brands and models, what quickly developed into an urge to know how and why these cars drive. My love for engineering developed early, I have always found the process of producing something by thinking about every small detail extremely interesting. This fascination with precision has ingrained in me a personal trait – I'm a perfectionist by nature. I firmly believe in giving nothing less than my absolute best, and I'm not content with anything short of excellence.

But there is more that fascinates me in engineering apart from precision. I see efficiency as the cornerstone of engineering, optimizing and getting more with less truly drives me. This passion resonates perfectly with Hydromotive, making it the ultimate project for me.

As the team manager of HAN Hydromotive, it is my goal to lead the team to first place of the Shell Eco-marathon. I approach this challenge with a dual strategy. 

Firstly, we aim to maintain and surpass standards, keeping a sharp vision on efficiency as we refine our vehicle. By setting high benchmarks for efficiency, we ensure that we're not just competitive but leaders in our field. Secondly, I promote creativity within our team. I believe that it's through creative thinking that we'll find groundbreaking solutions and unique designs that set us apart in the competition.

Beyond my role as team manager, I am deeply committed to our shared vision of sustainable mobility and environment friendly engineering. It's not just about winning; it's about contributing to a better future.

Public Relations & Financial Manager

My name is Giulia, I’m 20 years old and I study automotive engineering at HAN. I have always been interested in this area and had as a goal to work in this industry. I chose the hydromotive team because there is a great potential for promoting a sustainable future and it is definitely a unique opportunity to work in a project like this. 
I decided to take the role of financial manager and PR to further develop my skills and help the team to achieve the best possible outcome at the Shell Eco Marathon.

Marketing & events manager

Hi I'm Remco Mulder. I'm 18 years old and I live in Ede. As a young boy I had a passion. Cars, the vehicles that get you from point A to B. something in those machines touched my heart. That one metal box with wheels attached to it could make my day, and it became clear to me that there was something in me that wanted to know more about these machines. That drive, love and passion is still here. I want to know everything about the mechanics of a car. The engineering that goes into a vehicle is like art. The calculations, time and the passion of many motivated people give the vehicle a soul that sets it apart from the rest. 

After I graduated from the HAVO I knew that the Automotive Engineering study from the HAN was a perfect fit for me and my field of interest. When I heard about the HAN Hydromotive project, my heart started to beat faster, and that drive came back with such a strong force that I couldn't hold back my enthusiasm, and I applied. This project, this is the future! and I need to know more of it! 

I come from a family that runs an advertainment agency. So, here I am, following in my families footsteps, and fullfilling the role of marketing and events manager for the HAN Hydromotive team. My objectives for this academic year are all based on promoting and establishing HAN Hydromotive as a brand and an eco-racing team. Driven by passion, determination and enthusiasm I hope to bring a fresh breath of air into HAN Hydromotive. 

Competing for the better future, that isn't a usual sentence. But for us, HAN Hydromotive it is! Because we believe hydrogen is the future. Competition increases the knowledge of hydrogen and it forges new limits that we would never think were possible! I hope that this will be a Shell Eco-marathon to never forget, with Han Hydromotive at the top!

Engineer Body & Chassis

My name is Artem Koriachko, I am an Automotive Engineering student at HAN. 

The passion for cars has been with me since my childhood because I was surrounded by car people and vehicles. My first bike gave me a spark to relate my life with an Automotive industry. 

I decided to join HAN Hydromotive because of a huge potential of hydrogen which very little people can understand now. Being involved in a hydrogen powered vehicle can give a better understanding of how the future of our industry will look like. Working with composite materials and creating something new from scratch are two things that I truly enjoy and want to master, as a result I joined Body and Chassis department. HAN Hydromotive is a right environment to improve and learn skills I like for my future life and career.

Engineer Body & Chassis

My name is Bjorn Theunissen, I’m an 20 year old automotive student at the HAN. As a young kid I always wanted to do something with cars, so for me I knew from early on I wanted to go and study at the HAN. After I’ve finished high school I made the decision to go to the fast track class. as a fast track student I was not only doing automotive here at the HAN, but for the past three years I’ve completed my study for ‘technisch specialist personenauto’s’ and I’ve done the first year of automotive here at the HAN. In these past three years I’ve gained a lot of knowledge about how cars work and how to work on them as a mechanic. 
So now I’ve joined the hydromotive team I’d like to use the knowledge already have to make a great car and get even more knowledge. Hereby I’ll be joining the body and chassis sub team and together with the whole team we are here to get an amazing car to the eco marathon.

Engineer Body & Chassis

My name is Siem Westerdijk. I’m 21 years old and 21 years a fan of motorised vehicles. When I was a kid i started motorcross when i was 10 years. Near to my house lived the grandpa of my best friend who had a track in his backyard. He also had old cars, scooters and lawnmowers which we could try to get running.
As a young guy I also went to my uncle and nephew to watch and help in the garage because my nephew had his own company. This company is nowadays a millions automotive company who rebuild the pushback trucks for the airplanes. They designed their own gearbox next to the new full electric drive.
I’ve always amazed this so thats why i chose to do the fasttrack course at the Rijnijssel in combination with Han automotive. 
After the Havo I knew i wanted to do more with cars but not only design or work with it, I wanted both.
To make my own succes in the future I want to know more about alternative fuels. Something like hydrogen gas. I also like to race and battle or share ideas with others so I thought the hydromotive team wold be the right team for me.
 

Engineer Brakes & Suspension

My name is Juan Hulleman, 21 years old and living in Eerbeek. After my VWO education I studied medicine at the Radboud University. During the first year I realised that this study wasn’t a good choice for me. Last year I started the study Automotive at the HAN. The past year it became clear, during the various projects, that my interest lie in the field of CAD-design and performing calculations (mechanics, powertrain and mathematics). 

When I heard about Hydromotive I immediately became enthusiastic for various reasons. I think it’s important to work on a solution that will mean a lot in the transition to an emission-free future. Also I like to contribute to sustainable developments within the Automotive industry.

In addition, it is a unique opportunity to further develop myself in the field of working in a project and to work with a team of motivated people. A team in which we work and learn together. My motto is "alone you go faster, together you go further". It seems like a great challenge to achieve a goal together.

Engineer Brakes & Suspension

My name is Tristan Sleutel, I’m 19 years old and I live in Gennep.

When I was younger, I watched CARS, this is where my passion for cars started. During my time in high school, this passion only grew larger and larger. That is why I did a project involving hydrogen cars, which grabbed my attention. I learned that hydrogen can be used to power cars, whilst having close to zero emissions. In my opinion, hydrogen is the future of the automotive world.

When I finished my VWO/Gymnasium, I enrolled at Automotive Engineering at HAN. Here I learned that there was an existing hydrogen student-team. Of course I applied for this team immediately when I learned that we had to enrol for a team in the second year.

Since I think hydrogen is the future, I think that learning as much about it as possible is the best thing I can do right now.

With a fresh team of highly motivated students, I think this year will be very exciting and I’m looking forward to learning many new things and achieving the best result as possible with our car.

Engineer Brakes & Suspension 

Hi, my name is Nick Nijdeken, I'm 22 years old and I study Automotive Engineering at the HAN. As a child I became very enthusiastic about cars, partly because of the job (workshop chief) of my father.  

I did the same study as my father once did. MBO 4 "Technisch specialist."

After this I went on to study Automotive Engineering at the HAN, because I wanted more of a challenge and it matched with my fields of interest.

I applied for the HAN Hydromotive team because it provides me with that challenge that I want. I'm here to fight the challenge and to go for it all!

Engineer Brakes & Suspension

My name is Sven Haarman, I am 22 years old, and I live in Lochem. After completing high school, I started a technical specialist in automotive (MBO 4) program. When I had the opportunity to continue my studies in HAN Automotive Engineering, I decided to pursue that path. The first year was challenging due to the transition from MBO to HBO, but because of my passion for technology, I managed to get through it. Hydromotive has been appealing to me from the beginning, and this year, I am part of the sub-teams for brakes and suspension.

Engineer Brakes & Suspension 

Greetings, My name is Rohan Chepper, 20 years old and currently studying automotive engineering at Han University. From a young age, I've been drawn to the art of building and creating. I've always had a natural knack for problem-solving, which has been a driving force in my journey. 

After completing high school, I stood at a crossroad, uncertain about the specific path to pursue in the expansive technical field. To gain a broader perspective, I decided to explore the world of Information Technology (IT) and successfully obtained my propaedeutic diploma. However, during this phase, I realized that my true passion lays in creating tangible objects with my own hands.

This realization led me to pivot towards the study of automotive technology. Embarking on this journey, .I completed my first year of studies, and gained a lot of experience. Each day brings new challenges and learning opportunities, insuring my belief that I've chosen the right path.

I've enthusiastically joined the Hydromotive team, driven by my desire to acquire more knowledge and contribute to a cohesive team. Within the team, I have the privilege of working on the subteam dedicated to brake and suspension systems. I believe that through our efforts and dedication, we can achieve remarkable results and create something truly extraordinary.

Engineer Powertrain

My name is Janno Lunenburg, I am 21 years old and live near to ‘s-Hertogenbosch. 

When I was a young kid I always liked to help my dad in the garage with working on his motorcycles or cars. My interest for that technical field has always remained and that’s the reason I started the fasttrack automotive course after high school. 

Last year I obtained my degree of technical specialist in passenger cars and my propaedeutic degree. During the 3 years at MBO I learned a lot about how cars are put together and how to repair them. I will definitely take that with me in my coming years at HBO. 

In my spare time I like to fitness and get my hands dirty with working on cars. The reason I joined the HAN-Hydromotive team is because I like a challenge and I always want to learn new things. 

This year I am looking forward to working with a team where everybody is a 150% motivated and is aiming for the best result, just like me. 

I am assigned to the sub-team of powertrain where I can expand my knowledge about hydrogen even more. This is very useful because I think hydrogen will be a big part of the future of the Automotive industry.

Engineer Powertrain

My name is Sietse Eelman, I am 21 years old. Before I started at the Han I completed a education to become a 'technical specialist' of earth-moving machines. The training was fun, but I wanted more. When I spent a day at the Han, my choice about this study was quickly made. For this year I will focus on the powertrain part of the hydromotive car. Drive systems has always fascinated me and when I was given the opportunity to further specialize in this team, I immediately seized the opportunity. I'm going to do everything I can to get the best possible car at the of ecomarathon 2024. Stay tuned.

Engineer Powertrain

My name is Job Vis, I am 19 years old. Since childhood I have had a fascination for technology, especially cars and the complex systems from the cars. After I graduated from high school, I started a fast-track student at Rijn Ijssel and Han. After three years I managed to achieve my diploma as a technical specialist and the first year of the Han. Over the past three years, the fascination for cars and the technology around them has grown hard. In the past three years, the technique of hydrogen has become more interesting to me. In the coming year I hope to further broaden my knowledge about hydrogen. In the Hydromotive team I will focus on further innovating the powertrain. Finally, I would like to say that I am looking forward and I hope to learn new things this year.

Engineer Powertrain 

My name is Dylan Jansen, I am 19 years old and I live in Wageningen. After I got my HAVO diploma I was looking for a technical study. I have had an interest in cars and engineering for quite a while, so I thought Automotive would be the perfect degree to get. In the first year, we got a presentation about this year's projects and when I heard about Hydromotive, I was instantly fascinated. 

One of my favorite subjects in chemistry was redox reactions, and especially to use H2 as a way to store energy. I am also interested in electronics and programming so therefore I decided to join the Powertrain subgroup. I hope to further develop myself this year and of course to build a good and well-engineered car.

Technical Supervisor

I am Edwin Kemper, 44 years old and living in Raalte. Once (at the age of 16) I started in the automotive as a car mechanic and moved on to a teacher. In education I am involved with racing teams, projects and sustainable propulsion, because this is where my passion lies. Seeing how students really develop themselves and the enormous commitment they show in a project like this makes education meaningful and fun, which I want to commit myself to.

From my background as a Power Train teacher I would like to use my knowledge to take the Hydromotive team to the top!

Technical Supervisor

My name is Jaap Janssens, 36 years old and I live in Huissen. I once started as a student at HAN Automotive and have been working as a teacher for the past 11 years. As a teacher I give the following subjects: CAD, production drawings, finite elements, mechanics of composites and sandwich constructions. I mainly supervise the technical sub-teams and really enjoy doing this. Together with teaching, it is one of the best parts of my job. It is always great to see how the students experience it when their designs come to life. We finished third last year, but there was still a lot to improve on our vehicle. So this year we have the opportunity to achieve an even better results!