Afternoon people,

To cut a long story short, myself and a group of other aspiring engineers are wanting to enter a competition called Formula Student, where we get the chance to enter a competition to race a custom build kit car from scratch against other universities in the UK. Points are awarded for things like performance, handling, endurance, design, fuel consumption, emissions etc.

I am one of the leading members on power train development and at the moment, I am arguing the case for the internal combustion engine. This can either be 2 stroke or 4 stroke and the debate is whether to go petrol, hybrid or purely electric. Points to note are:

Max displacement: 600cc
Max intake diameter: 28mm
Emissions count for BIG BIG points so that is why the team is debating on what to use to power the car and erring on hybrid or electric.

Being a true petrol head, I really don't want to have to stick a motor on the back of it and listen to a whining buzzing noise going round the track as that will really do my head in as I am most probably going to be one of the drivers.

Any helpful advice people can give me in order to win the argument will be much appreciated!! Looking at things like cost, emissions, power, feasibility, fuel consumption, mass of proposed power source, control systems and advantages and disadvantages of proposed power source. The idea is not to bash any other power train ideas but to really hammer home why the I.C engine is going to be the one to go for. Looking at things like Honda and Yamaha engines from their 500-600cc bikes. Also, we can't just buy a motorbike, raid it, make a chassis, and off you go. We need to use ingenuity in our approach. Things like EVT (electronic valve timing so doing away with the camshafts) have already been suggested so sky is the limit for tuning potential. Keep F.I out of the argument for the moment please.

So come on people, lets do it for the good old I.C engine!!!