Pakistan’s First Student-Built EV Sets New Efficiency Benchmark
News Desk
Islamabad: Team HammerHead, Pakistan’s first student-led electric vehicle (EV) initiative, continues to break new ground in sustainable mobility. Based at the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology (GIKI), the team has earned national and international recognition for its innovative approach to designing energy-efficient EVs for global competitions.
Established in 2011, Team HammerHead made history by representing Pakistan at the Shell Eco-marathon, where it was the best-performing national team in 2014 and 2017. In 2021, the team clinched the title for Best Performing Electric Vehicle, further solidifying its place on the global stage.
Currently supervised by Dr Arsalan Arif from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, the team is led by Captain Abdullah Kashif and Director Operations Maoud ur Rahman Khawaja, both 6th-semester students from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering. Muhammad Sulaiat, a 6th-semester student from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, serves as the Team Manager.
With 36 members divided across four core units—Electrical, Mechanical, Technical, and Operations—the team ensures focused collaboration and expert contribution from each discipline. Senior faculty members, including Dr Taqi Ahmed Cheema and Dr Taimoor Hassan, closely monitor and endorse all technical developments.
Milestones in Innovation
Team HammerHead recently completed two successful test runs on the GIKI campus. The first was a 500-meter run between the Faculty of Engineering Sciences and the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. The second was a six-lap trial across straight routes on campus, during which the vehicle achieved an impressive energy efficiency of 114 km/kWh.
A standout feature of their current prototype is a custom-engineered carbon fiber monocoque chassis weighing just 26 kg—making it one of the lightest ever developed by a student team worldwide. This innovation not only contributes to energy efficiency but also showcases the team’s advanced material engineering capabilities.
Overcoming a technical hurdle that had stalled progress for over four years, the current leadership successfully restored a faulty electric motor—an achievement that eluded previous teams. They also developed and implemented a custom motor driver tailored specifically to their system’s needs, further demonstrating their in-house technical strength.
Funding Hurdles and Aspirations
Despite its achievements, Team HammerHead continues to grapple with significant funding challenges. The lack of sustained sponsorship and institutional financial support limits the team’s ability to participate in international competitions and advance its projects at scale.
Undeterred, the team remains focused on its mission. In the short term, they are preparing for participation in the next Shell Eco-marathon, with hopes of competing in either the Asia or Middle East edition. Looking ahead, the team aims to evolve its current prototype into a solar-powered EV—aspiring to become Asia’s first student team to develop such a vehicle with a carbon fiber monocoque chassis.
With a bold vision for clean energy mobility and a track record of innovation against the odds, Team HammerHead continues to be a beacon of engineering excellence and sustainability for Pakistan.
Wishing Team HammerHead continued success in their journey toward innovation and sustainability. Good luck from all of us at PenPK.com!
