​10/01/13
We began the construction of our 2nd Generation, experimental Electric Vehicle, named Apotheosis.
Our goal was to achieve 100 miles on a single charge, compared to last years' 24 miles. This performance will also
yield at least 900 MPGe.
The chassis was especially challenging because we had to rearange most of the mechanicals and controls from last years' design. The drive wheel was mounted behind the seat, which added 16" to its length and changed it to a recumbant design (3 wheeler). We felt this would reduce drag and weight, making it more efficient. For steering and handling, our custom "centrifugal stabilizers" were added to the rear of the chassis. This reduced drifting and made Apotheosis more stable during cornering at cruising speeds.
A brushless, direct-current motor from Golden Motor of Canada (normally used for E-bikes) - mounted in a 20" cast aluminum rim, would be the rear propulsion and is rated at 1.2 horsepower. A PC was used to adjust power consumption, speed and regenerative-braking parameters. Although top speed was calculated at 21 miles per hour, Apotheosis was performance tested at 14 MPH for safety reasons and comparative data. The front wheels are aluminum alloy and use low-rolling-resistance tires.
To accomodate its power needs, we upgraded to 2 lithium-ion (LifePo4) batteries (shown at right), rated at a total of 108 volts, 20 ampere hours - the equivalent of 9 standard car batteries. These have 60% greater capacity, and can be charged more aggressively than the standard SLA type.
The roof was extended to accept our 60-cell solar array, which will serve as a secondary battery charging system. Using basic and digital DC electronic circuitry, our unique solar array is designed to produce 58 volts and 1.7 amps in full sun - nearly double the power of solar arrays of the same size. Special diodes are used to prevent battery discharging through the panel.
Two multimeters displayed battery state of charge and solar array output.
An Iphone, mounted on the steering wheel, was used to record distance and speed.
Performance Testing was 9am Saturday, June 7, 2014
