Ten Years Educational Activities Using Electric Vehicles at Kochi University of Technology: 1st Report of Extracurricular Activities in 1997-2000

Abstract

This report describes the educational activities using electric vehicles in the past 10 years in the Kochi University of Technology, which was opened in 1997. Since the inauguration, extracurricular activities had been conducted in the intelligent mechanical engineering department in the university, and the author was a consultant for participated students. In this first report, the extracurricular activities using electric vehicles were the Eco-power race conducted in Kochi prefecture in 1997 and the Electric Vehicle Rallies in Shikoku Island in 1997-2000. Such activities were the first stage leaning for engineers to raise the motivation. Electric vehicles used in Shikoku Electric Vehicle Rally were converted ones from conventional automobiles. After such participation, the author switched the consultant role to an another faculty. In our laboratory the education has been conducted considering experiences in the real world as is described in the second report. One of the most promising experiences as mechanical engineers is a creation of thought to be design and production of products such as vehicles. Vehicles produced were small-sized hand-made electric vehicles, electric motorcycle, and tricycles. In this report, the former half regarding the extracurricular activities is described.