The West Philadelphia High School Electric Vehicle Team
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The West Philadelphia High School Electric Vehicle Team |
West Philadelphia High School Automotive Academy
221 South Hanson Street
Philadelphia, PA. 19139
215-471-2960
CONTACT: Simon Hauger (215) 920- 8503
David Jenkins (215) 474- 5125
WEST PHILADELPHIA HIGH SCHOOL HAS PARTICIPATED IN THE NATIONAL ELECTRIC VEHICLE RACE:
2002 NESEA TOUR DE SOL
PHILADELPHIA, PA- Well, they’ve done it again. The West Philadelphia High School Electric Vehicle Team is once again paving the technological highway in this years NESEA 2002 Tour de Sol, the country’s largest electric vehicle race. Last year, the West Philly High team “Brought soul to the Tour de Sol”, this year they’re bringing it back, multiplied by two! After technical problems forced the team to compete without their electric Saturn, the students were not dismayed and successfully completed the six day road rally with their 1995 hybrid-electric Jeep Wrangler. Much to their surprise Honda presented the team with the coveted “Honda: Power of Dreams Award” presented in recognition of the teams outstanding technical work, engineering pursuits and determination. In light of all that was accomplished during the 2001 Tour de Sol we can safely assume that once again the team from West Philly High will leave their mark on this years race and possibly everyone in their dust.
Nicknamed “Deuce”, Soljourner I, a 1993 electric Saturn is definitely no second place vehicle. Weighing in at 3500 pounds Deuce is powered by a 336 volt lead acid battery pack, which places the electric Saturn in a class of it’s own. The team continues to us a 36 horsepower Brushless DC Motor donated by MTS which is the backbone of their entire operation.
Weighing in at almost 4000 pounds, the team’s diesel-electric Jeep Wrangler, Soljourner II has undergone yet another make over, this time, it’s convertible. Powered by a student built generator using a 20 horsepower Yanmar diesel engine and a 36 horsepower MTS DC Brushless Motor combined with a 408 volt lead acid battery pack, the team now has a winning combination. For this years race, West Philly High students also designed and built a honeycomb composite shell to replace the former 4x4’s heavy, squared body.
The 2002 Tour de Sol kicks off this Sunday, May 12th in Baltimore, MD and ends Saturday the 18th of May in New York City with a stop in Philadelphia on Thursday May 16th at the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. With just a few short days until the race commences, student Sergio Diggs remarks, “We’re determined to succeed and we know how to get the job done, with that in mind success is a given.” It’s easy to see that these students have what it takes now all that’s left is first place.