In what could offer a solution to the vehicle pollution that is touching alarming levels, the final year mechanical engineering students of Madanapalle Institute of Technology and Science (MITS) have designed a hybrid electric vehicle.
Though the concept of electric vehicle is gaining ground in the market, charging the batteries and power backup remain a problem. In this context, the hybrid vehicle with two power sources —a combination of petrol/diesel engine and an electric motor—assumes significance.
A team of MITS students comprising D. Reddy Manoj, K. Pradeep, J. Satyanarayana Snehith, K. Mohan Reddy, S. Purushotham, S. Mohammad Rizwan, S. Ghouse Samdhani and Mohammad Ansaari successfully converted a normal diesel engine into a hybrid electric one. The 1981 model of Mahindra & Mahindra 540 was chosen for the project.
“Apart from in-built diesel engine, we have installed an electric power-train system to make it a hybrid electric one. Power from diesel engine transfers through the clutch, transmission system, propeller shaft, rear differential and finally to the rear wheels,” the team explained.
The uniqueness of the project is the arrangement of drive-trains, the system in a motor vehicle that connects the transmission to the drive axles.
Unique feature
The battery needs six hours to get charged completely and can cover up to 70 km. When the battery wears out, the diesel engine comes into action. The battery pack needs 10 units of electricity that costs ₹25 to₹30. Hence, the electric mode costs ₹25 to travel 70 km, against the diesel mode’s ₹500, making it 95% cheaper.
“The cost of creating this hybrid vehicle is around ₹3.20 lakh and our students are ready to convert old model vehicles into hybrid ones,” Principal C. Yuvaraj said.
