CSU 2011 SAE Formula Hybrid Project - Please Donate!
 

Do you have too much money? Is Uncle Sam going to bend you over come tax season? Are you environmentally conscience about the fact that your Rx-7 gets the fuel economy of a school bus and burns equal parts two-stroke oil? Here is the solution to all your problems! Formula SAE Hybrid donations!

Background:

My name is Will and I am a senior mechanical engineering student at Colorado State University (CSU – go Rams!). I am also a member of the 2011 Colorado State University Formula Hybrid Senior Design Team. Formula Hybrid is an annual international competition where college students are challenged to design, build, and race open-wheeled, plug-in electric hybrid racecars. The event takes place at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, NH, in May 2011. CSU has competed in the event for two consecutive years placing 2nd of 22 schools in 2009, the first year CSU competed. In 2010 the CSU team managed a modest 7th place after a failure of the uprights and braking system removed them from the competition.

The current design team has been tasked with designing, building, and racing a new hybrid car to represent CSU in the May 2011 competition. Because of budget cuts, the sheer number of other current senior design projects, and the fact that CSU is running a concurrent Clean Sheet Formula Hybrid Team to compete in future events (2012 and beyond), our resources have been stretched terribly thin. We have requested a project budget of around $10,000 just to build a vehicle capable of competing this May. Two days ago we were told we have $1000. Our adviser is working hard to secure more funding for the engineering design projects but at this point it looks like we will be far short of our needs. Registration alone is $1500 and due by December 20, 2010. So it’s time to beg, plead, and hope that fundraising pays off!

Please Donate to the Colorado State University 2011 SAE Formula Hybrid Design Team!

Donations can be from individuals or companies in any amount.
All donations are tax deductible and will be handled by professional fundraisers
We can accept funding, materials, products and services.
All tax receipts will be handled through the CSU Engineering Financial Office – You don’t have to worry about students screwing something up!
If we receive donations through the forum we will include Rx7club stickers along with company stickers on the car and on our sponsor board. We will also thank our sponsors in any other media events that take place between now and May.

How do I donate?

If you are interested in supporting our project then please contact me either through PM or this thread. Our team will mail you a solicitation with full background information, details of the project, and details on how to donate through our financial office. I will also supply my contact info and our financial office contact info so you or your company can ask questions or determine how you can best help support our success.

We will also have a CSU website operational soon where individuals or companies can make donations online.

Want Videos?
http://www.formula-hybrid.org/
http://vimeo.com/9495861
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InMzvftGRic - 2010 Car video


The following post will cover some of the details of the current car layout. In this thread we can also discuss the technical features of the car - after all this is the Race Car Tech forum.

The current car:


The current car is a parallel hybrid. It utilizes a 250cc ICE from a 2003 YZ250F coupled in parallel with a 49 Peak HP Series wound DC Electric motor. Electrical energy is stored in nickel metal hydride batteries with a system voltage of 144V at 80Ah capacity. Power is transmitted to the wheels via an electronically engaged limited slip differential. The car is comprise of two primary sections the front: a carbon fiber monocoque, and the rear a tube space frame. Other features of the car include front and rear adjustable sway bars, pneumatic paddle shiffters, unequal lenght A-arms, and sand cast AL 356 uprights.

Space frame Layout:

If there is any interest to donate at all an easy way to do so is by following this link:

Colorado State University - SAE Formula Hybrid Donations

Literally any amount counts. Thanks everyone, if you do donate please make a post that way the team can contact you to say thanks!

Nice paint work, reminds me of a mini truck from 10 years ago- just kidding, its ugly as sin. ill donate for a worthy cause.... and maybe bump some interest!


- Please buy some rattle cans of flat black with my donation and fix that awful tear drop theme....