Development of energy efficient battery electric car for Shell Eco-Marathon competition - Qatar University experience

Abstract

The paper reports on the participation of Electrical Engineering students of Qatar University students in Shell Eco Marathon (SEM) competition, which aims at designing and racing energy efficient vehicles. This participation has multiple objectives both for improving student technical and soft skills. Details of the design of a three-wheel car for SEM Asia 2014 race in Manila are given. Additionally, a dedicated computer-controlled test bench is developed for testing and optimizing the car design, and for training the drivers for optimum driving strategy that minimizes energy consumption. The process of car and test bench design has gone through various phases of study, modeling and simulation, optimization, and testing. Both mechanical and electrical parts of the test bench as well as the car are designed in-house. The design has to meet SEM technical and safety requirement, which guided the team till the ultimate design. The testing was done on the designed car, which was shipped to Manila/Philippines to participate in the SEM Asia 2014 competition February 3-9, 2014 in Manila. In Manila, the team planned to record so many data from different runs with different driving strategies on the real track circuit. These data will be compared to those that will be obtained using the designed test bench for same conditions for further tuning and improvement of the car model and car design.