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Design of a very light L7e electric vehicle prototype

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Abstract

Due to the diminishing fossil fuel and strict emission standards, electric vehicles are becoming more popular day by day. In many foundations, light electric vehicle prototypes are being built; however, their cost is generally very high. This paper introduces novel approaches for the design and manufacturing of a light electric vehicle prototype with very low cost. General design philosophy of such a prototype is presented. A theorem for the synchronization problem of two independent electric motors is proposed. Gear ratio optimization for acceleration performance, gradability, and top-speed of such electric vehicles is mentioned. Novel simplified suspension-steering kinematic design procedures are proposed. Approaches for mechanical design of a very light electric vehicle prototype are presented. The important concerns in those design approaches are low cost manufacturing processes and lightness by considering passive safety. A realistic impact loading scenario is proposed to determine the maximum force acting through a wheel of a vehicle. After the road tests performed, test results are presented and discussed. Finally, range of the car under various conditions is given.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hacettepe University, Ankara, 06800, Turkey

    E. Tanik & V. Parlaktaş

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  1. E. Tanik
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  2. V. Parlaktaş
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Correspondence to E. Tanik.

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Tanik, E., Parlaktaş, V. Design of a very light L7e electric vehicle prototype. Int.J Automot. Technol. 16, 997–1005 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12239-015-0102-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12239-015-0102-6

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