rec.autos.simulators

                We are a team of students who are building a Hybrid Electric
Vehicle(HEV) for the HEV challenge '96 jointly sponsored by the US Dept. of
Energy and the Society of Automotive Engineers.  We are looking for people who
have prior experience in any mechanical, electrical or material aspect of
designing, building and testing of similar hybrid vehicles, and are interested
in providing valuable support through information, ideas and suggestions.
Specifically, we would be very glad to hear from universities and colleges
who have participated in similar competitions.

                If you interested in supporting the development of the

--

Ragho Mahalingam
Michigan Technological University.

When I was an undergraduate (many years ago), I helped build an
electro-hydraulic vehicle.   The accumulator-boosted hydraulic drive
was the only way to get decent acceleration and reversing the swash-
plate allowed regenerative braking - the only way to get decent economy.

The control system required a battery-driven electric motor to be switched
on intermittently to keep the total mechanical energy (kinetic plus
accumulated hydraulic) constant but since the machine was built in the
years BC (before computers), the control system was unreliable.   With
a microprocessor, such control is trivial.

The machine was also very inefficient (but then it was purely a concept
demonstrator) but it did provide some fun around the campus and got
some national press coverage - after (sexist point) I had asked a rather
attractive female friend to drape herself over the***pit.

Best wishes,

Ron Thomson, Glasgow University.