Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Date of Degree Completion

Spring 2019

Department

Mechanical Engineering Technology

Committee Chair

Dr. Craig Johnson

Second Committee Member

Dr. John Choi

Third Committee Member

Professor Charles Pringle

Abstract

The Electrathon Vehicle: Electrical Power proposal is an in depth dive into theorizing, constructing and testing the design of an electrical circuit. A breakdown of this report gives an extensive and thorough analysis of the problem. How do you efficiently deliver 1kw/hr of power to an electric motor? The methods used to face this challenge and the results seen after are laid out in this report.

The challenge of competing in the Electrathon Race is delivering power to an electric motor for an entire hour without exceeding 1kW/hr of power. The goal is to travel as much distance in the one hour as possible. This challenge has many different aspects to consider. These range from the type of batteries used, the skill of the driver and how to maximize power output. The most intuitive way to approach this problem is through rigorous testing. These tests will require the Ellensburg Airport to grant us access to their airfield. There, the car will be ran uninterruptedly for one hour while instruments record speed, distance traveled and power used. Ultimately, the overall weight of the vehicle and the aerodynamic of the body will have the largest impact.

After competing at Portland International Raceway, the EV traveled a total of 41 miles! This was a huge accomplishment for myself and LG Hernandez, Lathan Halaapiapi, Chris Clark and Ryan Shiner. The results are published here.

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