Design and Assembly of an Extended Range Electric Vehicle as a University Capstone Project

The Embry-Riddle HyREV system is an innovative combination of power-split Hybrid and Extended-Range Electric Vehicle technologies, designed to reduce petroleum energy consumption and improve vehicle efficiency across a range of operating conditions on a captured GM fleet vehicle. The HyREV system was developed for the EcoCAR Challenge, and features a high degree of vehicle electrification including all electric accessories, plug-in charging and electric all-wheel-drive through the integration of three electric motors. The proper packaging and integration of components used in the EcoCAR vehicle development process required a comprehensive understanding of element interaction from both a static (space claim) and dynamic (feasibility) standpoint. The research conducted in this competition is used as a capstone project for a wide array of majors, as well as being integrated extensively in several courses in the form of projects and lectures. The overall vehicle design requires expertise in mechanical, electrical, aerospace, computer, software, and controls engineering, as well as incorporating human factors students into the failure modes and effects analysis. The team is split into the different majors for organizational hierarchy; however, there are many tasks that require multidisciplinary ideas and experiences to properly design. The first year of EcoCAR incorporated an entirely virtual design, with the teams receiving hardware in year two. The team is currently in year two, and is assembling the physical components of the vehicle, along with the controls architecture that will drive the vehicle’s power systems. This 65% “mule” vehicle will be tested May 2010 at GM’s Desert Proving Grounds, located in Yuma, Arizona.