JMU Engineering Blog: Come Design and Build Electric Vehicles!!!

Ever want to get your hands dirty? Into sustainable energy? Check. This. OUT.

If you're free Tuesday nights from 6-8PM you can come out and join us!

With the JMU Electric Automobile Association (EAA) you can help design electric vehicles. You'll help BUILD electric vehicles! You will RIDE and DRIVE electric vehicles!!!

We EVEN RACE THEM. In fact, last spring we raced our E-Cycle (mid sized bike below) at a legitimate land speed racing venue in Wilmington, Ohio attaining speeds of 73 mph! We plan on attending again this spring (it'd be awesome if you'd come too!) and we hope to bring the E-Cycle back. Also, with your help, we can retrofit some more vehicles sitting around the shop...possibly scooters...maybe ATVs...we've got some sweet chassis sitting around waiting to be filled with some drive train components. Come out and see what we're about! Also, in case building and construction is not your thing, we learn through hands on experience how electrical components interact, we collect data and analyze our test runs and races, and then we use that information to make the vehicles better!

The larger motorcycle on the black platform is an 2002 Honda Goldwing, custom outfitted with an electric system tested to run 97 mph!!! It is currently a capstone project worked on by 8 senior engineering students. Also, it will need a new team to work on it next year, so if you're interested, come out and get some inside information and get familiar with what we're doing! Next year you could be part of the new group that can take on the challenge!

Also, if you've ever been interested in learning how to use power tools, mills, lathes, drill presses, and even MIG welding, the Alternative Fuel Vehicles Lab offers free training and experience that you can take with you beyond your years at JMU! All you have to do is schedule lessons with the manager of the shop. We use all of these skills to build parts for the vehicles we build in the shop!

The JMU Electric Automobile Association meets once a week at the Alternative Fuel Vehicles Lab on Tuesday nights. This is down South Main Street, across the street from the Wendy's and over the train tracks where the buses are parked. There's a gravel lot to park in if you can make it and head on through the gate!

Check out these pictures...they're kind of awesome.