The Wisconsin Hybrid Vehicle Team consists mainly of undergraduate students from the

University of Wisconsin–Madison A university () is an educational institution, institution of higher education, higher (or Tertiary education, tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. Universities ty ...

who work together to build a

hybrid electric vehicle A hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) is a type of hybrid vehicle that combines a conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) system with an electric propulsion system ( hybrid vehicle drivetrain). The presence of the electric powertrain is intende ...

The Team

Many of the members have little to no previous automotive experience. New team members are taught alongside veteran student members. This passing of knowledge ensures a legacy that is carried on to younger generations. The team is subdivided into five major groups to handle necessary tasks. The Mechanical and Drivetrain groups work to design and implement new components, renovate old parts, and perform general vehicle maintenance. The Control and Electrical Groups are responsible for maintaining all of the vehicle computer and electrical components; this includes developing a complex control strategy and programing the

electronic control unit An electronic control unit (ECU), also known as an electronic control module (ECM), is an embedded system in automotive electronics that controls one or more of the electrical systems or subsystems in a car or other motor vehicle. Modern vehic ...

, rewiring the vehicle to accommodate the hybrid systems, and maintaining the battery pack as well as other electrically sensitive components. The Outreach group is responsible for publishing

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s, maintaining the website, obtaining positive relationships with local businesses and the community, and involving the team in community events. Each group is led by a veteran team member who meets to coordinate projects and make decisions for the vehicle's progress. Each leader is responsible to teach each of the group's attendants safely.

Past Competitions

Current Competition

The ''EcoCar Challenge'' is a three-year competition sponsored by the U.S. DOE, GM, and Argonne National Labs for 2008-2010. Seventeen universities from the US and Canada were selected to participate. In the first year, teams concentrated on designing, modeling, and simulating their teams proposed vehicle architecture. Additionally, teams worked to create a functional HIL (hardware-in-the-loop) to demonstrate their capability to manage a vehicle's ECU. The first year's competition was completed in June 2009 in Toronto, OH Canada. In the first year of the competition, the UWHVT developed an architecture that was a powersplit

hybrid Hybrid may refer to: Science * Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding ** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species ** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two dif ...

design. Technical papers were created at intervals throughout the year dictating decisions and results of simulations. It consists of a prototype traction motor, the 150 kW Continental AG Sapphire drive. A Weber MPE 750 engine (operating on

E85 E85 is an abbreviation typically referring to an ethanol fuel blend of 85% ethanol fuel and 15% gasoline or other hydrocarbon by volume. In the United States, the exact ratio of fuel ethanol to hydrocarbon may vary according to ASTM 5798 that ...

) and the Delphi DU174 motor (found in the

EV1 The General Motors EV1 was an electric car produced and leased by General Motors from 1996 to 1999. It was the first mass-produced and purpose-designed electric vehicle of the modern era from a major automaker and the first GM car designed to ...

) complete the genset. A clutch implemented in between the DU174 and the Weber allow for efficient all electric drive, while a clutch implemented in between the DU174 and the rear differential allows the Weber engine to be directly coupled to the road at highway speeds. Lastly, the battery pack located in the spare rear wheel compartment will be a Johnson Controls Saft 41Ah

lithium-ion A lithium-ion or Li-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery which uses the reversible reduction of lithium ions to store energy. It is the predominant battery type used in portable consumer electronics and electric vehicles. It also sees ...

pack. The UWHVT expects to receive its stock Saturn Vue in August 2009 and proceed building the vehicle in year 2. Competition for year two of the challenge will be in Yuma, AZ at GM's new proving ground.

References

External links

UW Madison Hybrid Vehicle Team HomepageCameras in the UW Vehicle Teams GarageArgonne National LaboratoriesOlympian MotorsDepartment of EnergyGeneral Motors Corporation
{{DEFAULTSORT:Uw Hybrid Vehicle Team Automotive technologies Green vehicles Hybrid vehicles Individual cars Electric vehicle organizations