Cummins Inc., a global leader in power solutions, and Cardiff University are supporting the next generation of engineering talent at Formula Student 2026.
As main sponsor to Cardiff University, Cummins is providing funding, access to facilities, and industry expertise to support the design and development of a Formula Student race car.
A team of 30 students from the Cardiff University School of Engineering’s Cardiff Racing will design, build and race a single-seat car across a series of challenges at the annual Formula Student Silverstone competition.
Since 2003, Cummins and Cardiff University have partnered to support over 400 students, helping to develop key engineering skills with hands-on experience through the Formula Student programme.
For the first time in the Cummins and Cardiff University partnership, the Cardiff Racing team will develop and race a fully electric single seat car to race in 2026.
The initial build of the prototype battery pack has taken place, and is being bench tested, with the rest of the car assembly aiming for completion in May ahead of the Formula Student event at Silverstone, July 15-19 2026. Cummins volunteers will be supporting at the event to meet with students and discuss placement opportunities to kickstart their careers.
Xander Bell, student at Cardiff University and Cardiff Racing Formula Student competitor, said:
“The move from combustion to electric in 2026 is incredibly exciting for the team. This is a great opportunity to get practical experience working on an electric vehicle while competing against some powerful teams from across Europe. I did a Year in Industry placement with Cummins in Cwmbran, and it's great to apply the skills I learned there to the Cardiff Racing project. The preparation so far has been good and we're confident for the build, but we can’t wait to get to Silverstone and get the car competing on the track.”
Jonathan Wood, Chief Technical Officer of Cummins, said:
“The long-standing partnership with Cardiff University forms a key part of our commitment to supporting the development of practical engineering skills and supporting students as they prepare for future engineering careers. With 12 engineering graduates already recruited to Cummins since the partnership began, the programme continues to provide opportunities to attract highly talented engineering graduates from Formula Student teams.”
Dr. Alastair Clarke, Faculty Advisor of Cardiff Racing at Cardiff University, added:
“We're absolutely delighted to be partnering with Cummins as we develop our first electric Formula Student car. It's a massive challenge for us at Cardiff Racing to change the powertrain of the vehicle, moving away from our known internal-combustion engine to develop a new electric powertrain, but we are confident that this partnership provides us with the resources, knowledge and support needed to develop a winning electric car. It's great to firm up our long-term association with the Brakes team at Cwmbran, where over the years literally dozens of Cardiff students have undertaken Year in Industry placements and gone on to graduate employment in the business. We can't thank the team at Cummins enough for entering into this exciting partnership with us – here's to an exciting, electrified future.”
Formula Student began in 1981 and is now operated by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE). The event challenges student teams to produce a prototype for a single-seat race car for autocross or sprint racing, and present it to a hypothetical manufacturing firm.
The Cummins Cwmbran facility site is a European Centre of Excellence for e-mobility and was recently upgraded with a £30 million-plus investment.
