Fine and Applied Arts

Students from Mr Corrigan’s Alternate Energy Vehicle Design class and Mr. Wright’s Designing Minds class have begun preparation for the 2009-2010 Electrathon America season.

Electrathon is a type of ELECTRIC MARATHON in which the winner is determined by how far you go in a certain time with a given amount of battery power. Electrathon America class competition uses specific design rules to ensure safe and fair competition. These events are held around the country and is an exciting new environmentally progressive sport.

Electrathon America vehicles are single person, lightweight, aerodynamic, high efficiency, electric vehicles with three or four wheels. They must meet specific design and safety rules. They are powered by deep cycle lead acid battery packs not exceeding 67 pounds. Only sealed lead acid batteries will be allowed. See the design rules for specific battery information.

For Farmington High School, the first event will be on Friday October 30^th at LimeRock Park. In preparation for the fall event students will be making repairs and adjustments to the vehicles that competed in last years competitions and ready our new drivers for the spring competition. Every year the students design and construct an entirely new vehicle to compete against schools from all over the northeast, and occasionally from as far away as Oregon, at the spring competition in late May or early June.

When constructing these cars students have the chance to gain skills and knowledge of many different processes, materials, software programs, etc. Students design and wire the electrical system, design and construct braking systems, steering systems, powertrain systems, etc. They have the opportunity to work with new innovative materials including carbon fiber and lightweight aluminum parts. This class also allows students to hone skills in MIG and TIG welding, bodywork, machining and fabricating, designing, etc.

When the students reach the culminating event at Limerock Park they are able to show off the knowledge and pride that they have gained in designing and constructing these vehicles. Electrathon America competitions at LimeRock Park usually consist of three heats of competition. In each heat, eight to ten vehicles are lined up and will compete for one full hour to see which team has designed a car that will tally the most amount of laps around the track.

These vehicles are designed to be lightweight, aerodynamic, have little rolling friction, and the drivers are trained to drive at a consistent rate of speed as to save battery life throughout the competition. This race is as much about duration as it is speed. If your vehicle does 70 laps in the first half hour and then you do not have any battery life to finish the race you have not accomplished the goal. You hope to do as many laps as you can with the limited battery life that you are given. This means that drivers have a challenge to keep the momentum of the car and the design of the track in mind while driving.

Visit our website at http://www.caea.net/aevd/ !