Title
Design of a single-seater electric car for micromobility in urban environments and university campuses
Code
SP2023/082
Summary
The project aims at the design, construction, material technology and implementation proposal of a single-seater electric car of light construction for micromobility in urban environments and university campuses. The primary vision is the application of current trends for the transportation of people, tied to a gentle approach of the design solution to the issue of the environment. An important aspect in this direction is the consideration of the possibility of using composite materials based on carbon fibers and bio-composite, which are very advantageous especially from the point of view of high useful properties, low weight and energy-efficient disposal at the end of life. Furthermore, the proposed solution will focus on the possibility of using old batteries from electric cars in the "second life" mode, i.e. without the need to manufacture additional battery cells.
From the point of view of the organization of the solving team, the project will be solved in a multidisciplinary mode with a different professional focus, both at the level of academic and research workers, and at the level of the students involved. Emphasis will be placed on mutual cooperation in solving sub-goals, at all levels. Division of the main activities of the project will be as follows:
1. Design and construction proposal of an electric car
2. Material-technological area
3. Application potential of the proposed solution
The premise of the proposed arrangement is a full-fledged design process of an electric car for micromobility, from its design and construction solution, through a detailed material analysis of critical structural parts and the choice of an optimal solution, to the determination of the initial conditions for putting the vehicle into practice in the chosen application segment. The focus of the project is in accordance with the Strategic Plan of FMST VSB-TUO for the period 2021-2027 in the area of "Materials and technological innovations for a sustainable future - Materials and technologies for electromobility
1. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION PROPOSAL OF AN ELECTRIC CAR
In this area, the existing potential of the Department of Materials and Technologies for Vehicles and Formula Student will be used. As part of the focus of master's and doctoral students, a design proposal of an electric car will be made, which will include the above-mentioned conditions with regard to the low ecological demands of the solution. A structural design will be carried out, focused mainly on the basic arrangement of the key elements of the frame, drive and body. An integral part of the solution will be numerical simulations, linked to the strength analysis of the supporting parts of the frame, as a starting point for the subsequent choice of a suitable material for the production of an electric car.
2. MATERIAL-TECHNOLOGICAL AREA
The key activity will be the design and comprehensive analysis of the material for the supporting structure of the frame. Polymer composites based on carbon fibres or, for example, composites with hybrid carbon-aramid reinforcement will be considered and designed for the production of parts of the supporting structure of the frame. In addition, selected steels, aluminium and possibly magnesium or titanium-based alloys, which are necessary for parts of the frame structure and connecting elements, will be tested. Compared to metallic materials, polymer composites are more advantageous due to higher corrosion resistance, low density and low energy consumption of production. They also show a high specific strength, thanks to which it is possible to reduce the weight of the structure, increase speed, improve aerodynamics and thus reduce fuel consumption. Hybridization enables a relatively easy design of a composite material with the required mechanical properties. The goal will be to assess the effect of the material used on the overall weight reduction of the electric car and the related performance, to determine the critical stress and fatigue properties in the proposed parts of the frame for individual types of material and the related service life. The deformation behaviour of the proposed materials at high stresses will also be investigated, which will allow to define the resistance of the proposed structure during accidents and to assess the effect of the used material on rider safety.
3. APPLICATION POTENTIAL OF THE PROPOSED SOLUTION
The main research activity will be a detailed analysis of factors related to electromobility, as well as research into the application segment of customers, as potential users of the designed vehicle (electric car). Due to the nature of the project and its solution involving multidisciplinary research activities, this part of the project will follow on from the previous areas of research described in the previous text, especially in the area of input data and specifics of the use of the proposed non-traditional means of transport. The research will focus, among other things, on factors related to electromobility, in particular:
- The development of the economic situation, which is undoubtedly one of the factors that will affect the availability of electric vehicles to a wider range of potential users.
- Acquisition costs and total costs associated with owning an electric vehicle.
- Building charging infrastructure, as this is one of the basic prerequisites for potential interest in purchasing an electric vehicle.
- Trends in the shared economy and public transport.
Start year
2023
End year
2023
Provider
Ministerstvo školství, mládeže a tělovýchovy
Category
SGS
Type
Specifický výzkum VŠB-TUO
Solver