From Combustion to Electric to Driverless — The Journey of Formula Manipal

MIT Manipal proudly celebrates the achievements and groundbreaking projects of our students, who continue to redefine innovation and engineering excellence on national and global platforms. One such inspiring journey is that of 'Formula Manipal '— a story of transformation from combustion to electric and now towards autonomous mobility. The team’s evolution reflects resilience, innovation, and a relentless pursuit of engineering excellence.

The three generations of race cars — FM24 – CO1, FM25 – E27, and FM26 – E10 — represent the past, present, and future of Formula Manipal in a single frame.

FM24 – CO1 marked the culmination of the team’s combustion era, securing 4th Overall at Formula Bharat, along with 1st place in Cost & Manufacturing and 4th in Engineering Design, showcasing exceptional engineering precision and performance.

In 2025, as the global motorsport ecosystem accelerated toward sustainable mobility, Formula Manipal transitioned completely to electric vehicles. FM25 – E27 became the team’s first fully electric race car, earning 3rd Overall at Formula Bharat and winning the prestigious Best Powertrain Award. The platform now continues to advance innovation as the team’s Driverless Vehicle (DV) platform.

Continuing this remarkable legacy, FM26 – E10 marks another historic milestone. The car successfully cleared all technical inspections and competed in dynamic events at Formula Bharat, while also emerging as BPP Winners — reinforcing the team’s commitment to high-performance electric mobility and cutting-edge engineering.

Taking their vision to the international stage, FM26 – E10 will proudly represent Formula Manipal at Formula Student Portugal and Formula Student Switzerland, carrying forward the spirit of innovation, sustainability, and competitive excellence.

At MIT Manipal, student-led innovation continues to shape the future of mobility and engineering.