Lawrence Tech Hybrid Car Takes First in NY-DC Tour de Sol Competition
24 May 2000
Lawrence Tech Hybrid Car Takes First in NY-DC Tour de Sol Competition
SOUTHFIELD, Mich., May 23 With hard work and good fortune
come rewards. That is what a tired group of Lawrence Technological University
engineering students and faculty believe after taking first place in the
national Tour de Sol competition -- a five day road rally from New York City,
N.Y., to Washington D.C. sponsored by the Northeast Sustainable Energy
Association. Official results were released Monday by NESEA.
The hard work started last September when the Lawrence Tech engineering
students from throughout southeast Michigan began working on "ED" (Electric
Diesel) -- a converted Ford Taurus fitted into a hybrid configuration with a
diesel engine and an electric motor.
A mixed bag of vehicles in a variety of categories, from electric scooters
to hybrids to production electric mini-vans, left New York City to be tested
for design, consumer acceptability, performance, endurance and mileage at
different stages along the five days.
"We found problems before they became problems," said Nick Brancik,
engineering associate and staff advisor to Lawrence Tech's team. "We never
put the car in the trailer. We unloaded it the first day, and it was on the
road the whole time and only went back in the trailer for the trip home. It
just kept on running."
Good fortune came to the team on day three of Tour de Sol. Although the
day started looking gloomy when Dave Ahomed, checking the transmission fluid,
found that engine mount bolts had come off the car. While the majority of the
car up front in the engine compartment is in metric, the needed bolts were in
a common standard size. A trip to a nearby hardware store provided the
necessary parts, and the car was ready to run five minutes before the
autocross event was closed. Steve Granke, one of three drivers, got behind
the wheel and piloted an autocross masterpiece.
"The car handled like a champ," he said. "ED's look and design was better
than a lot of cars out there."
"The students who drove understood the car. They did a good job. So we
kept them in the car," Brancik said. "We did well in all of the range events.
We did well in everything. The car never broke down. It's a good car."
Words quickly echoed by the student leader of the project -- Katherine
Beebee.
"Not one major breakdown. Not one," she said with pride coming through.
"We had a good team. We earned first. We put in countless hours with ED with
the goal of making a car that would perform well. We took the car to
competition and put a lot of energy into making it a good car.
"The team got it together and pulled it off and from that came a first
place effort."
Lawrence Tech earned a $1,000 check for the first place finish in the
Department of Energy's Hybrid category, and will have a travel trophy in a
couple of weeks to proudly display. The team members also have memories, like
the two nights they survived in a creepy hotel in New York, the bonds of
friendship and engineering lessons reinforced with hands-on practice.
"It was a good experience," said Beebee. "I gained a lot and learned a
lot about the automotive industry, upcoming technology and about managerial
skills."
Lawrence Tech had a second vehicle -- Response IIE -- in the competition,
another former hybrid electric vehicle which was converted to a solely
electric car by staff and Lawrence Tech alumni this past year for Tour de Sol.
The car, a two-passenger commuter, finished eighth in the Tour's battery-
electric division and operated flawlessly. Response IIE's only handicap was
its weight compared to the lightweight, smaller competing vehicles built
specifically for this competition.
Brancik also lent his technical expertise to Brighton High School, which
had entered a two-passenger vehicle in the solar-electric category. The car
finished second. There were only two cars in the category, but Brancik said
the experience the high school students gain from building the car and
competing with it was invaluable.
LTU "ED" Tour De Sol Roster
Robert Farrah, faculty advisor Franklin
Nick Brancik, staff advisor Milford
STUDENTS
Bryan Madonna Sterling Heights
Jessica Green Troy
John Wilds Northville
**Katherine Beebee Southfield
Louise Darbyshire Royal Oak
Majid Murad Dearborn Heights
Mike Gielniak Goodrich
Nicole Margrif Warren
Steve Granke Royal Oak
Tim Wrublewski Livonia
Will Todd Ashtabula, Ontario, Canada
Dave Ahomed Detroit
Chris Paprocki Berkley
Chad Rutherford Utica
Robert Morley Canton
** Denotes student leader
LTU Response IIE Roster
Nick Brancik, staff advisor Milford
Lee Keshishian, staff advisor Beverly Hills
Ray Ziegler
B. Cleto Farmington Hills
Tom McBride Livonia
Brad Larkin Sterling Heights
Steve Jones Webberville
Andy Korol Livonia