Sunny

Harshul

Bruce

Big Motor

Tools

Jonathan

Batteries being charged

Edward and the Mech team building cardboard battery mock ups

Wilbur Focusing on the motor

Paint prep

Engineering what??

Motor

Gas engine removed

Gas engine, we don’t need you!

empty engine bay

1972 Rust Free VW Beetle Purchased

Let the build begin!

I am pleased to mention that UBC Electric Car Club is now officially 8th team for the Zero Race. UBCECC’s modified E-beetle will be traveling to 150 cities around the world in 70 days covering over 30,000 kms. Below is the snapshot of the team profile on the website. It can also be accessed by clicking on the following link:
http://www.zero-race.com/en/teams/

UBC Electric car club is one of the only 2 student teams currently to be invited to register for the World Race. It is also the first team from North America to be a part of this unique and historic race. Congratulations to the whole team of Electric Car Club!

While researching about batteries and electric car structures, I came across this:

http://www.nappepin.com/LithiumEV.htm

Definitely an interesting read as it outlines the design procedures used to design this “Personal transportation vehicle”. Be sure to check out the videos on that site!

Here is the patent: http://www.google.com/patents/about?id=2V7GAAAAEBAJ&dq=D591645

Note how the patent is really short and only contains schematics and short descriptions for the design of the electric car housing.

This is probably a good foundation to work from as the stats for this “Lithium BugE” car is pretty close to what we want to achieve. So the guy, Nap Pepin, bought his car kit from here : http://www.bugev.net/

and outlined all the steps he took to put together his Electric vehicle.

When Ferdinand Porsche first envisioned the “Auto für Jedermann” or “Car for Everybody”, way back in 1931, who would have thought that his idea would end up as the world’s most iconic car? Almost 80 years later, the Volkswagen Type 1 can be found in every corner of the planet, from the deepest jungles of Brasil, to Indonesia and Antarctica. The simple air cooled rear engine design has been imitated by many manufacturers over the years, but almost none have had the same impact as what would be universally be known as The Beetle. The 1960′s brought about massive social changes around the world and the Beetle was at the forefront. A symbol of the counterculture, the little 2 door was a  way for everybody, no matter where they were in the world, to get from point A to point B. With well over 21 million units produced, the Type 1 Volkswagen is the world’s best selling car of a single design.

Today, the UBC Electric Car Club continues the revolution. By converting a Type 1 Volkswagen, from a dirty, internally combusting, fossil fuel consuming relic, to an electrically powered, clean and efficient mode of personal transport, the UBC ECC is learning lessons from history and preparing for a bright, clean, sustainable future.

*Photo by Daniel Lu

UBC Engineering Professional Activities Funds (PAF) has announced that UBC Electric Car Club will be receiving $4,800 in funding for the Olympics project. The decision was made on October 13th, 2009.

Electric Car Club has also been confirmed $5000 from the Electrical & Computer Engineering Department (ECE).

The total funds received until now from UBC are $9,800 dollars.

As a part of supplies, Dr Dunford has offered us 17 Lead Acid batteries and 2 Power supplies have been offered from PMC-Sierra for free.

UBC Electric car club will be looking for more sponsorship opportunities.

I just found this today.

Imagine going in a race around the world in the car we build ourselves. that will be soooooo  much fun!

The journey will be filmed and made into a documentary.  I’ve contacted the organizer already. here is their link:

http://www.zero-race.com/

and another site with info:

http://green.autoblog.com/2009/10/12/zero-emission-race-plans-to-go-around-the-world-in-80-days/

What do you guys think?

Guggy had found this auction that sells industrial equipments. it’s on the 22nd and we should go check it out.

This is where we can buy electric motors for dirt cheap. they have these industrial pumps rated up to 50 hp.

link

Another interesting website courtesy of Guggy is alibaba. This website will allow us to deal directly with manufactures and cut the middle man to save money. Check it out.

hey please doodle for a time good meeting time for you this week.

http://www.doodle.com/hgkkswg972ntrzya