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We finally achieved the goal!
Since August last year we have been working very hard to get our prototype ready for the EVS-24, which was due May 13. – 16. in Stavanger. The electric motorcycle was finished on time and tested for the first time Monday morning on our way to Stavanger. When we first put it on display, it was highly applauded from an excited audience as well as the vehichle industry and specially invited guests. As part of their official program, HRH Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and HRH Prince Albert 2nd of Monaco visited the Takhi Design stand. Among them there were also other Norwegian celebrities who showed an interest for the electric motorcycle, like the Minister of Transport and Communications, Liv-Signe Navarsete, and Minister of the Environment and International Development, Erik Solheim.
The air was electric right before the exhibition: Everything had to be correct if we should achieve our goal before the deadline. Monday morning at 07.00 all of the work on the bike was done and we were ready to set out at 08.00. On the way to Stavanger we visited Arne Magnus Berge in Euromatic, who helped us program the motor controller. The 40-meter test drive proved that the motorcycle was working for the first time!
Cooperation with NITO
The Norwegian Organisation of Engineers and Technologists, NITO, is one of our co-partners. We shared the booth on the EVS-event together with NITO, which was a great experience for both of us.
Straight up until the event Takhi and NITO cooperated on publicity. Press releases were sent to several newspapers from both NITO and Takhi Design. A feature article was printed in Stavanger Aftenblad (local newspaper) May 12. Its plot was the lack of financial support for research and development (R&D) projects in Bachelor and Master programs. The article was signed by Marit Stykket (President of NITO), Emanuel Rygg (the chairman of NITO Student department) and Gudrun Straand of Takhi Design (former vice chairman of local NITO Student department).
Experts from all over the world
EVS is the world congress for vehicles powered by electricity, hydrogen and fuel cells. The exhibition has representatives from manufacturers of vehicles, motors, batteries, energy and much more. In addition to the event there was held a conference that appealed to scientists from the leading institutes and universities in the world.
Østfold University College has become well known through our brochures, which were handed out during the event. Schools like Hong Kong University, M. I. T. in USA, the Technological University of Helsinki, the University of Umeå, Rocky Mountains Institute are just a few on the list.
The response from experts in the related fields (designers, vehicle manufacturers, scientists) means a lot to us. It proves that our project have succeeded as a BA project as well as a professional project. Most of the audience were amazed when they heard that we had done the project in 10 months with only 125.000 NOK (appr. 20.000 $) in financial support. In addition, we recieve 15 ECTS points from the BA project, but have worked a lot more. To be at the EVS exhibition with a working prototyping was like the icing on the cake!
We made a lot of contacts during the exhibition, to be followed up. Our dream is to find a company that wants to develop the project further. From what we have picked up, the USA and Asia would be the best place to develop and manufacture the bike, considering the market.
Distinguished visitors
The managers of EVS were also quite impressed by the project, and arranged the program so that a few celebrities would pay our booth a visit: HRH Prince Albert 2nd of Monaco, HRH Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, the Minister of Transport and Communications, Liv-Signe Navarsete, and Minister of the Environment and International Development, Erik Solheim, and artist and environmental champion Morten Harket (from the band Aha).
Media attention
The project was given a lot of space in the press: Stavanger Aftenblad, the local newspaper, wrote about the project three days in a row. A feature article 12th May; a double paged article 13th May; and a photograph of Minister of the Environment, Erik Solheim, trying out our electric motorcycle 14th of May.
A lot of foreign medias showed great interest in our project, among them a Finnish tv crew shooting for YLE, similar to our NRK (the Norwegian Broadcasting Company).
The popular science magazine “Verdt å vite” ("Worth Knowing”) did do an interview about the project for radio braodcasting.
For further information use this link: medieoppslag-eng.html
Technical
We bought an angular gear and modified it to the proper weight and function for our use. It can handle up to 80 Nm. The motor delivers up to 30 kW with a maximum of 3400 rpm. The motor is the same as used in the electric car “Buddy” (manufactured in Norway). We engineered a special designed cover that connects motor and gear, and at the same time gives both components a complete design.
For electric power we used lithium-ion batteries delivered from A123 through the Norwegian supplier Gylling Teknikk. The package we use is a test package for show use. In mass production and further development we will use a much larger battery pack. Our test package has 102 cells, with a total voltage of on 72 volt.
Further information on this subject will be published later.
The road furter
All we have left is now a few adjustments and optimization of the prototype before top speed testing. On the first test drive we used the standard programme, which was already installed in the control unit for the motor.
We also have to finish our project thesis before the deadline 8th June. Our exam presentation will take place June 11th – 12th at our school, Østfold University College, Sarpsborg, Norway. This exhibition will be open for the public.
Takhi Design will also have a presentation of the project on the seminar “DesignTalks 09 – Sink or Swim”, 9th June in Kapp in Toten. You will find the program for this event on this link: http://www.designtalks.no/program/
If we have economy and time for it, we will try to arrange an event for our partners, the public and press where we will test the electric motorcycle. If so, we will come back to it later.
Posted by Peder Østmoe / Gudrun Straand, 20th May 2009.
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