Extracurricular Education And Experimental Course Using Electric Vehicles

This paper describes an attempt of engineering education in extracurricular activities outside of class and an experimental course in class using electric vehicles. The Kochi University of Technology was inaugurated in April, 1997. Four years of engineering education trials are reported. In 1997, 5 student teams participated in an eco-power race held in Kochi, Japan, with hand-made ecological vehicles. In the summer, 1998, three teams challenged to participate in the Shikoku Electric Vehicle Rally using light-weight vehicles converted into electric cars. Using such light-weight electric vehicles, a student experimental course in class was conducted in the winter, 1998. This paper reports these engineering education activities. In order to provide such an active learning opportunity, a learning environment is needed rather than just teaching in classes. Education on manufacturing is considered to be of great importance as well as the basic sciences such as mathematics and physics. INTRODUCTION In Japan, the engineering education system in universities has changed from general cultural courses in the preliminary periods of the 1st and 2nd years to ones mixed with engineering science and design courses in the same years. However, the basic idea of education has still been based on fundamental courses in the 1st and 2nd years. Professional courses follow in the 3rd and 4th years. Most fundamental courses seem boring for engineering students since the courses do not relate to real technology. If students have an opportunity to observe the real engineering world in their early years of university life, it is expected that they will more realistically understand engineering science and design courses. The Kochi University of Technology was opened in April, 1997. The univesity has been trying a new engineering education such as first year seminars using real products1), computer assisted English education2)3), 3rd and 4th years’ synthetic education, and so on. In this report, engineering education in extracurricular activities out of class and an experimental course in class using electric vehicles are described. Two extracurricular activities were conducted. The first one is the Eco-power Race. In November, 1997, the Kochi Eco-power Race organized by Toyota Vista Kochi was held in Kochi, and five teams from the Kochi University of Technology entered the race. The second is the Electric Vehicle Rally. In August, 1998, the Shikoku Electric Vehicle Rally, organized by a committee of high school teachers and university faculties, was conducted in Shikoku, the smallest main island in Japan. The rally is the first one in Japan for a car rally on public roads. Three teams from the Kochi University of Technology challenged to join the race. The same rally was held in 2000, in Kochi, and 2 teams from Kochi University of Technology joined. In the winter of the 1998 financial year, the experimental course in class started for 2nd year students. In experiments of material strength, strain gage and accelerator measurements were performed using the electric vehicles. In the following section, these educational activities and course are reported. EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES (OUT OF CLASS) Extracurricular activities, herein, mean the student activities out of class, and the credit is not given for the activities. Therefore, this does not relate to so-called first year design or capstone design conducted in class in the USA. Kochi Eco-power Race in 1997 Each November, the Kochi Eco-power race is held. In the race, hand-made small vehicles compete in a manner similar to small gasoline-powered car racing. The aim is based on both ecological and economical standpoints. In Japan, the Suzuka race by Honda or the mileage marathon race by Shell Oil are famous as small gasolinepowered car racing. Although the Kochi Eco-power Race is local, more than 50% of the vehicles are from outside of Shikoku, one of the four main islands. Figure 1 Kochi Eco-power Race The Kochi University of Technology started in 1997. While there was no experience and no information on how to make such vehicles at that time, five groups of 1st year students participated in the race