Rice University students convert 1997 van into electric vehicle
HOUSTON - In a remarkable task, four teams of Rice University engineering students successfully converted a 1997 Chevy P30 delivery van into a fully electric vehicle within a year, using a mix of salvaged parts, custom components, and off-the-shelf items.
With a group of more than 20 students contributing as part of their capstone design projects, an integral aspect of Rice's engineering curriculum, students embarked on this hands-on initiative to tackle real-world engineering challenges.
Navigating a difficult timeline due to multiple teams working at the same time, students dealt with designing and executing custom parts, managing supply chain logistics, and integrating aftermarket components into a cohesive system. Despite these challenges, the project exemplifies advanced project management skills honed by the team members.
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The students were divided into specific teams: Powertrain, Electrical architecture, Thermal system, and Dashboard.
In the Powertrain group, were Rice engineering seniors Javier Alatore, Juan Vera Garza, Austin Greer, Diego Lopez-Bernal, Gerardo Rivera, Antoine Wiley, and Lindsay Wright. This team was tasked with overseeing the van's mechanical aspects, including steering, wheel systems, and overall integration.
Four teams of Rice engineering students converted a 1997 Chevy P30 delivery van into a fully electric vehicle in less than a year, using a combination of parts scavenged from out-of-use vehicles, custom-built elements and off-the-shelf items. (Photo
The Electric Vehicle Electronic Controls Design team, comprised of Kirubel Ghebreab, Nathan Hsiao, Eric Press, and Alois Chipfurutse, focused on crafting a robust electronic control system for seamless integration with vehicle components, grappling with the complexities of interfacing disparate parts from various vehicles.
Dubbed Team Thermobile. the Thermal System team was made up of Maya Chhong, Olivia Goganian, Anisha Lal, Jacob Lee, Andrew Linhart, and Ellie Schweiker who innovatively designed the van's thermal management system, incorporating HVAC solutions and electric vehicle battery cooling mechanisms.
The van sports a wooden dashboard equipped with a navigation panel, optimally-placed air conditioning vents and a custom digital instrument cluster that displays speed, battery level, regenerating power and more. (Photo by Jeff Fitlow/Rice University
Lastly, Team Déjà Vu undertook the task of revamping the van's dashboard, ensuring user-friendly functionality and ergonomic design. Freshmen Devika Dua, Aoife Shannon, Joseph Engelking, and Evan Ho transformed the vehicle's outdated dashboard into a modern interface equipped with navigation features and digital instrument clusters.
The E-VAN boasts a highway range of up to 100 miles and approximately 225 miles under inner-city conditions, with a top speed of about 86 miles per hour, reflecting the team's meticulous attention to powertrain-related details.
Rice University's Richard Johnson and Mark Ditman lent a hand to the E-VAN initiative through discussions around taking an older van owned by housing and dining and turning it into a sustainability-related project.
This ambitious project was made possible through generous support from the Rice Housing and Dining Department, with mentoring provided by faculty members David Trevas, Gary Woods, Kevin Holmes, and Roberto Dugnani.
On April 11, the culmination of the team's efforts will be showcased at the annual Harrell and Carolyn Huff Engineering Design Showcase and Competition scheduled at the Ion from 4:30 to 7 p.m. and is open to the public.