EB Empowers Development of
Electrical Drive for Award-Winning Electrical Sports Car
The Company
Metropolia is Finland's largest university of applied sciences. Metropolia coordinated a project with a consortium of companies to design an electrical sports car that took 2nd prize in the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE in USA 2010
The Challenge
To build a safe, affordable and desirable car with at least 100 MPGe energy efficiency. The car has to complete on-track tests, comply with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and complete validation testing on a chassis dynamometer.
The Solution
EB 6120 and SimTools were used to develop an electric vehicle control software that controlled 4 individual electrical drives, one per wheel. Drives are controlled independently to avoid mechanical gearboxes and transmission. EB 6120 was also used to control battery charging.
The Benefit
EB 6120 enabled Metropolia to develop a flexible and reliable electrical vehicle control software within a very short time frame. Metropolia was able to concentrate on the application development and did not have to deal with the design issues of the operating system level.
About The Vehicle
Electric-RaceAbout, "E-RA", is the current prototype vehicle development project at Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences. E-RA is designed in the spirit of RaceAbout as a sporty and desirable 2 seat vehicle and a clearly identifiable member of the RaceAbout family. E-RA is designed from scratch to a pure battery powered electric vehicle featuring efficient and simple direct electric, all wheel drive and the most advanced battery technology available.
The vehicle features state-of-the-art direct drive individual wheel motors based electric powertrain combined with distinct and elegant body/chassis design using advanced lightweight carbon composite materials. Altair NanoTechnologies 330kW Lithium-Titanate battery pack with 250kW charger allows 10-minute recharge. Designed to meet real world driving requirements with 140mile range and 0-60mph acceleration in 6 seconds. Spacious and comfortable interior upholstered in quality leather.
Key Innovations:
- Unique configuration of four separate electric drive motors, one at each wheel.
- Vehicle uses Audi R8 supercar aluminum suspension and large brakes.
- Entire vehicle designed to be a blend of high performance and energy efficiency.
Production plans will be based on formation of a new company, RaceAbout Oy, and its offering of new products and production services to OEMS.
About The Team
The competition team consists of students of different disciplines and their faculty advisors. The strength of the team comes from the great passion towards the automotive world and high motivation to create a vehicle on their own. There is also a professional multidisciplinary group of advisors and considerable support from the industry. The university has meanwhile changed name to Metropolia University of Applied Sciences and has 20 years long tradition of making prototype cars. During these years the knowledge and the expertise at the university including its partner network have advanced up to a level to make it possible to carry out the design and fabrication of a production ready vehicle.
What Does the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE mean to them?
The automotive industry needs new innovations and environmentally friendly products. The electric RaceAbout will represent the first concept about our abilities to make electric vehicles.