YEAR 10 TRANPOSRT SYSTEMS PROJECT

ELECTRIC TRICYCLE

One of the many electives we provide at Footscray City College at Year 10 Level is

Transport Systems. Students learn about the existing systems and also about the

innovative ideas on the futuristic transport systems like The Hyperloop System, Autonomous

Vehicles and High Speed Trains for mass transit of people. As part of the hands-on projects to

learn the internal construction of an engine, students dismantled, assembled and tested a

6.5HP Honda Clone Petrol Engine. They experimentally determined the Fuel Consumption

Rate (FCR) of the engine. They also participated in the electrification project of a tricycle, thus

converting it to a hybrid vehicle using a powerful rechargeable 36V, 13.6Ah Lithium-ion battery.

The Year 9 Systems (Motor Tech) students, under supervision, were involved in testing the

hybrid tricycle inside the basketball court. Students reported their responses after the trial runs

and some minor modifications on the wheel alignment may be needed. The future plan is to

add a 12V separate slim battery and then hook it up to the following: two supersized tail lights

from a car, an electric horn, a blutooth stereo system with two speakers and a subwoofer, a

second seat for a passenger and finally, some flashing lights in the front. By giving students the option to add things they like to make the tricycle look more ‘funky and cool’, they are more motivated to collaborate in designing, wiring, testing and evaluating the systems and subsystems. The project will be

completed only by students of next year.

Michael Antony - Systems teacher