PRESS
RELEASE
ELECTRATHON AMERICA
From Europe and Australia comes the electric sport for the 21st
Century.
Electrathon rallies have been a popular sport in Great Britain
and Australia for more than a decade.
The goal of the Electrathon is to provide a spectator sport that
will build public awareness of the capabilities and potential
of efficient electric vehicles.
Developed around specific rules designed to keep costs down and
competition high, these unique vehicles offer an opportunity
and challenge to experiment, learn and compete.
Electrathon is a tremendous educational opportunity and a stimulating
sport for schools with both academic and careet technical curriculum
combining physics, mathematics, electronics, auto technology
and graphic design. It's a hobby for tinkerers and experimenters
of any age.
The Electrathon format rewards strategy, skill and common sense,
by limiting battery capacity and rewarding endurance.
Limited to 67 pounds of battery weight, Electrathons are won
by the driver who goes the furthest around a course in one
hour.
The results are impressive with vehicles typically traveling
over 30 miles on a few cents of electricity!
Electrathon rallies are being held throughout the U.S. at high
schools, universities, alternative energy festivals and electric
vehicle events.
PROPRIETARY COMMENTS
Electrathon America is the sanctioning body for events in the
United States using its competition rules.
This website contains the rules and regulations governing Electrathon
America sanctioned competitions and events in the United States.
Copies of the Electrathon America Handbook can be purchased
directly from Electrathon America, from local chapters, or downloaded
from this web site.
Electrathon America reserves
the right to authorize reproduction of the press release (and
various forms contained in this website
and the printed version of the Electrathon America Design & Event
Rules) to those event promoters who have submitted and received
and approved event authorization form.
The Value of Electrathon
EDITORIAL by Paul Zellar,
Great
Lakes Electrathon Association
Competing schools found that this Electrathon
program challenged their students to directly apply the knowledge
they have been
accumulating over the year. In many cases, the faculty advisor
served only as a general guide to keep the students on track.
Students had to form an organization, a team, in order to accomplish
the goal of building a car. The team had to do a tremendous
amount of research before the design of the car could be fixed.
Much of this was by telephone and mail, as well as personal
interviews with experts. Many experiments "fine tuned" their
knowledge, and their mathematics helped them understand more
about the theory of operation of materials and devices.
Many schools had to raise funds for the project, and found themselves
in the unfamiliar role of a public speaker, addressing members
and owners of organizations that could assist them financially.
Budgets had to be derived and expenditures accounted for. Written
applications for funds and information sharpened their communication
skills, as did the monthly written reports to GLEA.
Testing and adjusting the car and determining a winning strategy
were important factors in a successful effort. The logistics
of transportation of the car, its supporting equipment, and the
necessary team members took much thought.
For all the reasons given above, it is safe to say that every
school that participated in this project "won". Each
school gained by their efforts, even the ones that were unable
to complete their vehicle for the race. It is in the striving
that we learn. For those schools that were able to complete
their car for the race, our congratulations on having a winning
strategy that allowed you to complete your project "on
time". Regardless of the distance traveled on the track,
your team "went the distance" and gained in the process.
My hat is off to you.
.
A HISTORY OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE RACING
Text from a Brochure published in 1988 by the Australian Electric
Vehicle Racing Association.
Electric Vehicles rule the road.
The first electric vehicle
was built in Scotland in 1834 and electric vehicles suddenly
came into vogue as a form of transport
in the 1890’s. Until then, Stanley Steamers and gasoline
powered cars were in use, but these modes of transport were inconvenient
- gasoline powered cars were very difficult to crank while one
had to wait for the Steamer to build up steam. There were no
such problems with electric vehicles and they were used for many
applications. By 1900 there were more electric vehicles on the
road than gasoline vehicles. In 1916, an ignition and self starter
system for gasoline engines was invented by Kettering and as
they had lost their advantage of easy starting, this spelt the
end for electric vehicles.
Electric vehicles were
racing as far back as 1889. Jenatzy, a Frenchman, built a machine
called La Jamais Contente. His vehicle
was claimed to have a top speed of 75 mph and set a land speed
record, for that era, of 68 mph. During the 1900’s an American,
J. Baker, reached 100 mph in his electric vehicle. Unfortunately
for Baker, a wheel collapsed while he was applying the brakes
and he never attempted another record.
.
The UK Connection
Electric vehicle competitions
began in England in 1978. A group of enthusiasts, encouraged
by the development of EV’s formed
the UK Electric Vehicle Association. With the help of the Institute
of Mechanical Engineers they decided to hold a competition exclusively
for electric vehicles. The competition had two sections. The
first section in which students, engineers and lay people were
asked to design an electric vehicle, was totally theoretical.
The design specifications were left wide open - that is, any
type of electric vehicle could be designed. The design was to
be judged by a panel of experts with a prize of 1000 pounds to
the winner.
The second section involved building their design into a practical
vehicle. A lot of entrants could not achieve this due to high
costs. To enable the average person to build his own design at
a lower cost, a simple vehicle design was encouraged. The vehicle
could then compete in an Electrathon. The Lucas Electric Vehicle
Endurance Run was born. All vehicles were supplied with 25 Kg
of identical Lucas batteries and the 25 Kg limit is still used
today! (Note: U.S. Electrathon battery weight is 64 lbs.)
.
The Australian Connection
John Stevens, the AEVA National President, saw this event while
in the UK and felt that a similar event could be run in Australia.
In 1980, the event John organized was based on UK rules and attracted
7 entries, all bicycles. It was held at Doncaster Shopp in town
car park. The course was very short, with the vehicles covering
130 laps in the 2 hours. Competitors complained of dizziness
by the time they had completed the course while the uphill section
provided major problems when their batteries were nearing the
end.
In 1981 the AEVA Committee decided to move to a more suitable
venue and selected a caravan park, just off the Maroondah Highway
in Ringwood. It was not a very good choice. The course was an
L shaped road divided down the middle with witches hats (cones)
to make it bi-directional. At either end the vehicles had to
do a U turn, which made it very difficult when several arrived
at the same time.
In 1982 the event was held at Glen Waverly Shopping center.
Although a better circuit, it had one major problem - cars were
allowed to park in the center. When the starter dropped his flag,
it was discovered that someone had parked his car across the
course - what a surprise to the rider! There were some headaches
for the officials as they tried to find the owner of the offending
car. Unfortunately during this event, several riders came off
their vehicles.
This is the only one in which injuries have been recorded. The
incident brought major changes in the rules and regulations.
Protective clothing, safety helmets and proper vehicle scrutinizing
was introduced.
The next venue was VFL Park, Melbourne, and its is still in
use. The course is trapezoidal, has a smooth bitumen surface
and is 0.6 km long. It has an uphill and a downhill gradient
to make the batteries work hard. The streamlined vehicles achieve
speeds of up to 50 kph during the race and some average 40 kph
for the 2 hour endurance event. Similar events have been organized
by the other AEVA branches in Adelaide and Sydney.
Electrathon was formulated so that the ordinary people could
have a go. Trials days are held prior to the Electrathon so that
competitors can test their vehicles and exchange ideas with other
members. The Trials Days are informal, with a BBQ to start. Motors
and batteries from local manufacturers are made available at
very reasonable prices.
.
The CANON Electrathon
Increasing fuel costs
and uncertain petrol supplies have led to a renewal of interest
in alternative transport - electric
vehicles. the aim of the Canon Electrathon is to foster the research
and development of electric power for practical motoring. Canon
Australia’s sponsorship is through its Copier Division.
(1988) This is the third year that the Electrathon has been sponsored
by Canon Australia Copier Division and the 1988 event promises
to be bigger and more exciting than those held in previous years.
Without this valued sponsorship the Canon Electrathon would not
have developed into the event that it is today. Special Awards
are presented for: Educational, Interstate, Innovative and Practical
entries.
.
The 1988 CANON Electrathon
The Electrathon has grown over the years and instead of being
a single endurance event, it now has three separate events.
The Electrokhana is a half hour event in which competitors have
to negotiate a twisting course while picking up parcels. It is
a fun event and young people over 10 years old are encouraged
to enter.
The Electrocycle event is for non-streamlined two wheelers.
the bicycles compete on the same course as the Electrathon but
are limited to only 12.5 kg of batteries. The duration of the
event is 45 minutes.
The Electrathon, the main event, is only open to three or four
wheeled vehicles. Streamlining is permitted on these vehicles.
The vehicles may have up to 25 kg of batteries and will have
to negotiate a roundabout at the start of the main straight.
Handling, braking and efficient use of the available battery
power is very important to survive this hour.
.
HEROS OF THE REVOLUTION
100 years ago years ago the battle began between electric and
gasoline powered cars for the world land speed record. And in
those yearly years steam, gasoline and electric powered vehicles
were all in competition. Thomas Edison believed that electric
vehicles would put gasoline fueled vehicles out of business (he
may be proved right in the long run) Walter Baker from Cleveland
Ohio believed in Edison's dream and decided he would break the
land world speed record.
Motorcars of that era were chunky vehicles looking more like
wagons with drivers sitting up in the air with the engines underneath.
However Bakers design was low and sleek, shaped like an upside
down boat hull. It was a design so aerodynamic that nothing like
it would be seen for decades. It was called the Torpedo. The
driver and electrician were strapped into hammocks with the worlds
first shoulder harnesses, their heads poking up into a glass
bubble. The Mighty Torpedo was powered by 11 Edison lead acid
batteries and driven by a 14 hp Elwell-parker electric motor
mounted behind the seats and connected to the rear axle with
chains and sprockets. A tiny steering wheel connected by cables
to the front wheels steered the machine.
In 1902 the Automobile
Club of America held the speed trials on the public streets
of Staten Island, NY. Baker’s goal
was to break the record for the kilometer. In his run on the
course Baker and his electrician flew through the kilometer in
36 seconds flat. Unfortunately he also lost control at the end
and crashed spectacularly killing an errant spectator. His speed
wasn’t officially recorded because of the crash, but he
had shattered the world lands speed record by over 35 MPH and
became the first person in history to go 100 miles an hour. He
did it 96 years ago on electricity.
Electrathon has been called the Soap Box Derby of the 21st century.
Quite flattering when you think of how much the Soap Box Derby
has become an American tradition. How did it become so ingrained
in our culture? First by developing a common set of rules that
were safe and fair. Rules that reflected and reinforced a new
class of competition. They established their name to identify
and protect their type of competition. And they worked to build
an association of clubs and chapters around the country and created
a process that permitted everyone to compete equally in local
and regional races and even nationally in events that brought
together people from all parts of the country.
Electrathon America is a volunteer non-profit group of individuals
working to enable everyone to compete on a level playing field
in an affordable, educational and clean new sport. To succeed
we have to work together, play by the same rules and have fun.
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