Thursday, January 19, 2012

The EcoMakers reflect on the International Motorsports Industry Show

In December, the Purdue EcoMakers attended the International Motorsports Industry Show (IMIS) which took place at the Indiana Convention Center. IMIS is in it’s third year and has made large progress over the years and has increased in size, regardless of the economic downturn.
The EcoMakers ran the Purdue University booth, which showcased both Purdue EcoCAR 2 and the Electric Vehicle Grand Prix, two progressive competitions which Purdue University takes part in. The exhibitors at IMIS were very diverse, with everything from engine builders to safety equipment companies to university racing teams, and it was a great experience for EcoMakers to talk with these companies and tell them about the EcoCAR 2 competition and get insights about high performance vehicle components. EcoMakers also handed out promotional items and raised awareness about EcoCAR 2 with passing spectators. Many people were very interested in the project. As racing is typically done with high powered gasoline engines, many people were intrigued as the Purdue booth displayed an electric racing go-kart and the prospect of a reengineered Chevrolet Malibu which the EcoMakers will be working on.
This international event showcased companies from the UK, Japan, New Zealand and Germany and were very interested in hearing about this North American competition. The EcoMakers that were able to attend the tradeshow enjoyed it immensely and benefitted greatly from the exposure to this side of the automotive world. We appreciate everyone who stopped by our booth to talk. See you next year!

Saturday, January 14, 2012

First Semester Experiences

Haley Moore, MET graduate student and Purdue EcoCAR 2 Project Manager, shares her experiences from our first semester in the competition:

"The first semester of the EcoCAR 2 Challenge was a fun and successful for the team. There was a lot of learning that went on at all levels of the team. For me, I found the most challenging parts of the semester to be keeping all portions of the team organized and to lead the team while finishing my final semester of my undergraduate career. I was amazed at how many things had to be done to make the team successful. We had to have several meetings each week, send out many emails every week, and even meet with people outside of the program. I learned a great deal about becoming more organized, which will only help me in the future with my studies and EcoCAR 2. I am fortunate to have a great Steering Committee and Faculty Committee that has helped the team become as successful as we have become. We will continue working hard this semester to achieve this year’s goal of having our car completely simulated on computer software, which will make it easier to implement our architecture to the vehicle. I am looking forward to seeing what this semester has in store for the team!"