collaboratively design and build a formula-style electric or plug-in hybrid racecar

“The Formula Hybrid Competition is an interdisciplinary design and engineering challenge for undergraduate and graduate university students. They must collaboratively design and build a formula-style electric or plug-in hybrid racecar and compete in a series of events. This educational competition emphasizes drivetrain innovation and fuel efficiency in a high-performance application.”

Team photo taken during a test day in October 2015

UVic Hybrid is a student run hybrid vehicle team operating at the University of Victoria Hybrid Vehicle Research Center to compete in the Formula Hybrid competition.We build open wheel hybrid race cars designed to be maximize performance and fuel efficiency.Our team has roughly 50 members with a core group of around 10 senior engineering students leading the various teams.The majority of the parts and systems on our vehicles are 100 % custom to meet our very specific needs.

Project Introduction:
This project provides the necessary control and fault indication
for our energy storage system to operate within the guidelines of the 2016 Formula Hybrid competition.

3D CAD model of ultra capacitor based energy storage system(ESS).Sponsored PCB is visible at top right.

Project Details

The circuit provides the following functions:

--Provides a general status signal that indicates over temperature and over charge conditions of our ultra capacitor pack.
- LED indication
for over voltage and over temperature faults.
- -Facilitates pre
- -charge and discharge of our motor controller.
- -Control of the vehicle contactors.
- -Indication of an open circuit fault between any of the 38 voltage sense wires used
for cell balancing.
- -Provides the state of charge of our energy system to the vehicles main supervisory controller.

Blank boards were received and within a couple of weeks were populated and tested.

PCB before population

PCB after component population and testing

Close up of PCB top

This PCB represents one of the first complete components
for our ESS.As of early January 2016 CAD modeling
for all other components are complete,
parts and materials have been ordered and fabrication is just starting.One of the key tasks
for this board is to monitor the voltage from each of the 36 ultra capacitors.Competition rules require 100 % of cells to be monitored
for faults during vehicle operation.This necessitated the creation of the PCB what we are seeking sponsorship
for.Maxwell 2000F

Maxwell 2000F 2.7V Ultra Capacitors to be used in the ESS