Bett Show, the largest international event dedicated to educational technology, starts today in London. Project Zephyr has been designed by Foamblock, founded by Tudor Atanasiu and first developed at BSB, it aims to encourage curiosity for innovation and self-discovery in students aged 12+.

Project Zephyr - a project where students build an electric car from scratch

Project Zephyr takes the students on a complex learning journey where they have the opportunity to delve deep into the exciting, wonderful world of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) while learning about teamwork, law, business and management.

Student groups of up to 5 are given a complete kit for building an electric car from scratch: an algorithm to help them introspect, together with all the materials, parts and learning materials for staff and students. The project is split into two parts - The practical part: designing, building, adding electric parts etc. The social part, where the students and the staff discover and explore the opportunities revealed during the project, provide solutions and together choose the most suitable option. Each car ends up being unique, given the scratch-kit nature of the project.

Project Zephyr helps students to focus their interests and energy while discovering new ideas to be explored during university, or even to be accomplished after graduation. This way, students have access to a safe space where they can explore, test, fail and start again, enjoying innovating without fear of failing. Students have the opportunity to find innovative solutions to various issues while developing life skills such as: critical thinking, teamwork and resilience.

Project Zephyr was firstly developed at the British School of Bucharest and aims to be an exciting educational project that gives students the opportunity to discover their passion and to have a clearer idea about their careers after graduation.

Project Zephyr already boasts eight life-size, unique, fully functional electric cars. They were built to be over 70% reusable after the first build and can be disassembled for use by the next student group.

With six years’ experience and eight electric cars, built from scratch by students, Project Zephyr goes to Bett (British Educational Training and Technology Show) with a more than ambitious challenge and invites all schools to join them in one of the most exciting educational events in the world, because Project Zephyr is just the beginning of an amazing trip that helps the young students to find out more about them and their goals for a meaningful life, with care for tomorrow’s world.

The Arctic Challenge is both a sustainable technology fair and an international competition for promoting innovation. Held in Sweden, near Arjeplog, at Lapland Ice Driving - the European capital of winter test driving - this competition aims to raise awareness on sustainable innovations and on the way each one of us can make a change for the better. This place was chosen particularly for its proximity to the Arctic Circle, the area most affected by climate change.

10 teams from innovative, forward-thinking schools will be able to participate in the inaugural event in 2024. After acquiring Project Zephyr, these teams can start building their electric vehicles, which is estimated to last approximately a year and a half, while continuing training for the competition.

The trip to Arjeplog must be sustainable as well, so the teams will have to reach their destination using a method to optimise both time and carbon emissions. Once in Sweden, teams will participate in three sessions: endurance, drift and time. When not racing, teams and visitors will be able to see and experience innovative sustainable technologies brought by our partners.

The accommodation will provide a sustainable experience as well, as the participants can choose to stay in fully furnished canvas tents equipped for comfort in the winter. Foamblock and their partners have designed an efficient, self refilling, very low emissions stove which is able to run all night long without the need to wake up to refill it The list of sustainable technologies is much longer and the students taking part in this challenge will have a unique, exciting and educationally rich experience.

The Bett Show, where Project Zephyr will exhibit at stand SF23, is the most important educational event in the world with more 30,000 visitors per year. The Bett Show takes place in Great Britain. Every year since 1985, the Bett Show hosts hundreds of events, sessions, workshops and open lessons presenting the newest and most innovative technological and educational solutions.

This is native content supported by the British School of Bucharest.