Driving the EV
As SHU Racing’s electric vehicle has a new powertrain, a new drivetrain system had to be designed. The drivetrain system for EV’s is a simple system composed of a motor, motor mounts, shaft, gears and a chain. All these components and are assembled and attached to the rear backplate, it is critical that all of the mounts and shaft are strong enough to withstand the high torque output of the motor. To make the system more modular and to allow for use in the ICE, the mounts were designed to be incorporated with the differential mounts which allows the motor and all fixings to be removed without having to disassemble the differential, and therefore suspension etc.
While the chain driven system is very similar to the ICE car, the final gear ratio varies due to the different torque outputs from the motor and engine. When considering the gear ratio, a compromise must be made as the optimum ratio for both acceleration and endurance events will be different and will be considered when the car design is closer to being finalised. To make the rear of the car more compact, a planetary gearbox/reduction drive could be used, allowing for smaller gears and therefore reducing, the size requirement of the brackets.
Meet the Team
Meet the Team is an opportunity for us to give you a chance to learn a little more about the people who make up SHU Racing. This week, we welcome our new electrical manager for the ICE Car, Jack Boyes. Jack is in charge of all the electronic systems for the 2021 SHU Racing car.
Name: Jack Boyes
Age: 22
Course: Meng Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Role: Electrical Systems Manager
Number of years with the Team: 1
Hobbies and Interests: In my free time I enjoy bouldering and hiking, they're good excuses to go outdoors and get some exercise. I also enjoy cooking as a way to relax.
Favourite Car: The Waymo AI car
Dream Job: Smart prosthesis design/development
Reasons for Joining SHU Racing: Working on/with the electrical systems of cars has been something I have wanted to get experience with for a while, so the position this year seemed like a fantastic way to do that.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackboyes
