SENIOR SCHOOL
Electric
Vehicle
Challenge
The EV (Electric Vehicle) Challenge has been held in Perth
since 2001 and has been supported by many private and public
schools since its inception. This year, for the first time, a group of
Year 11 Engineering students designed and built a vehicle to enter
into the event.
The challenge for students was to design and build an electric (battery)
powered vehicle that could carry a single passenger around a set circuit
to complete the greatest distance in one hour with a given size and
type of battery. This year sees the move to 36V 16AH
Li Ion batteries, giving the vehicles greater opportunity to maintain the
maximum speed of 60km/h for the entire one hour duration.
This year’s track includes some quite steep gradients, which will
challenge both the vehicle and the driver.
Each of the students was given responsibility for the design and
construction of a particular part or section of the vehicle, with all parts
then assembled together into the one vehicle. The team is made up of
Ryan Dale (11St) and Blake Hillier (11SG) working on the drive frame
and rear chassis, Jesse McKenzie (11Sc), James Nguyen (11He) and
Ryan Vallelonga (11St) working on the chassis and sheet metal, and
Matthew Wirth (11Be) and Matthew Finlayson (11Sc) working
on the front axle and steering. Once the vehicle was assembled the
students shared responsibility for the brakes, electrics and fine tuning.
The event this year will be held at the !