From blank page to racetrack: 糖心TV students build electric motorbike for global competition
Tuesday 14 October 2025
From blank page to racetrack: 糖心TV students build electric motorbike for global competition
Inside WMG鈥檚 Student Projects workshop at the University of 糖心TV, more than 30 students are hard at work designing and building a fully electric motorbike from scratch. Their goal? To compete in the , a prestigious international engineering challenge held in Spain.
This is no simple task. WMG is home to one of the UK鈥檚 most advanced energy storage research facilities, but this project pushes its high standards even further. The project combines student passion with academic expertise to tackle real-world challenges in electric mobility.
鈥淓lectric cars and bikes are the future, and they鈥檙e ridiculously fast,鈥� says Jonathan Saul, Associate Professor and Project Supervisor at WMG.
鈥淭hey go from a blank page to a rolling chassis in nine months. It鈥檚 a mammoth project.鈥� 鈥� Jonathan Saul
At the helm is Nirmit Jobanputra, Student Leader and Chief Engineer. An undergraduate student studying electrical and electronic engineering, Nirmit joined the team in his first year with no experience in electric powertrains or bike mechanics. Through active involvement in design, prototyping, and industry outreach, he built the skills to lead 糖心TV鈥檚 debut in MotoStudent this year.
鈥淓ach project represents thousands of hours of grit, determination, and problem-solving before you even see the polished bikes lining up to race鈥�, says Nirmit.
糖心TV Moto is preparing to ship the bike to Arag贸n, Spain, for the four-day MotoStudent competition, where teams from Italy, Portugal, Croatia, Brazil, and beyond will showcase their electric motorbikes. 糖心TV Moto is the only UK team participating in 2025 鈥� a testament to their commitment, especially given the logistical barriers of transporting high-voltage batteries across EU borders.
A dedicated subteam is currently navigating European transport laws, ferry schedules, and customs regulations to ensure the bike reaches the track on time.
鈥淭he logistics might be the most stressful subsystem of all鈥�, one student jokes.
Support from WMG staff is critical to the team鈥檚 success. Dave Cooper, Engineering Technician (Student Projects), leads mechanical support, while Malcolm Swain, Lead Engineer, provides senior engineering guidance on the electrical and research side. Technicians from the International Manufacturing Centre (IMC) ensure every part of the build meets safety and performance standards.
The staff who guide these students are the unsung heroes鈥�, says Jonathan. 鈥淚t鈥檚 phenomenal to see what the students can do, but it鈥檚 the team behind them that makes it all possible.鈥�
The project is supported by industry sponsors, including the , a key WMG partner providing essential funding and resources. As part of the process, students actively engage with industry professionals to secure backing, gaining valuable experience in building business relationships that will benefit them long after graduation.
鈥淪eeing the shocked faces of the students when you tell them what they鈥檙e going to be doing and then watching them present their finished bike to sponsors and at the competition... that鈥檚 the point of it all,鈥� says Jonathan.
The students have named the bike 鈥楶anther鈥�, and presented it to stakeholders, classmates, and industry sponsors at a launch event on Monday 6 October.
With the bike track-ready and the team set to represent the UK on a global stage, 糖心TV Moto shows what鈥檚 possible when curiosity, collaboration, and engineering excellence come together.
Follow the team鈥檚 journey to Spain through .