Spring Break
ZEM is easy to drive, hard to pedal
Jon Xavier
Issue date: 12/8/08 Section: News
When I was a kid, I used to take my bicycle up to the top of a steep hill near my house and ride down. It was an arduous, uphill slog for someone with my skinny adolescent legs.
By the time I got to the top, I was usually so sweaty and out of breath that I'd have to rest for a spell before continuing on.
But on the way down, it was like I was flying.
Riding in the engineering department's new zero-emissions vehicle on Friday, I was reminded of this experience.
The zero-emissions vehicle, known affectionately as the ZEM, is a kind of super-hybrid, powered by eight silicone batteries, the sun and its passengers' sheer cussed determination to move it forward with two sets of bike pedals located on either side of the cabin.
Since the ZEM weighs 1,400 pounds when fully loaded, this last form of power can be a daunting proposition.
That isn't to say that the ZEM doesn't move. It does, going from zero to about 5 mph in 30 seconds under full-human power, according to specs released by the engineering department.
But it's not exactly easy. When I climbed out of the ZEM after my short ride, I could definitely feel the burn in my thighs.
Fortunately, full-human power is just one of the options available with the ZEM. The transition from puffing away at the pedals to gliding along on electric power is so seamless that the first time it happened I continued to pedal, wondering why I suddenly seemed to have gotten stronger.
Tai-Ran Hsu, the professor who spearheaded the project, told me the transitions are the key. They're what make the ZEM unique. Not only can it be transformed from an over-sized pedal car to a full electric vehicle with enough ease to befuddle a college journalist, while it's running under full electric power the battery is being continuously charged by four solar panels located in the roof and hood.
With human, solar and electric power working together in harmony, the ZEM's range is improved to about 40 miles.
Under its own power, the ZEM can reach speeds of up to 40 miles per hour, Hsu said, although 35 mph is considered the top speed for everyday use. And while we didn't go nearly that fast on my test drive, owing to our desire to not run down students as they went from class to class, it certainly seemed to be zippy.
I would say that the ZEM compares favorably performance-wise to the ubiquitous golf carts that zoom around the campus.
Ultimately, car buyers shouldn't expect to see a ZEM at their local dealership any time soon. But that's not really the point, Hsu said. The ZEM was designed for light duty use, such as mail delivery or checking parking meters, and it's certainly not hard to imagine it in that role.
Since it costs only $4,000 to produce, it's economical as well as eco-friendly, and that might make it hard for such industries to resist.
I just hope their legs are a little beefier than mine if they plan on climbing any hills.
By the time I got to the top, I was usually so sweaty and out of breath that I'd have to rest for a spell before continuing on.
But on the way down, it was like I was flying.
Riding in the engineering department's new zero-emissions vehicle on Friday, I was reminded of this experience.
The zero-emissions vehicle, known affectionately as the ZEM, is a kind of super-hybrid, powered by eight silicone batteries, the sun and its passengers' sheer cussed determination to move it forward with two sets of bike pedals located on either side of the cabin.
Since the ZEM weighs 1,400 pounds when fully loaded, this last form of power can be a daunting proposition.
That isn't to say that the ZEM doesn't move. It does, going from zero to about 5 mph in 30 seconds under full-human power, according to specs released by the engineering department.
But it's not exactly easy. When I climbed out of the ZEM after my short ride, I could definitely feel the burn in my thighs.
Fortunately, full-human power is just one of the options available with the ZEM. The transition from puffing away at the pedals to gliding along on electric power is so seamless that the first time it happened I continued to pedal, wondering why I suddenly seemed to have gotten stronger.
Tai-Ran Hsu, the professor who spearheaded the project, told me the transitions are the key. They're what make the ZEM unique. Not only can it be transformed from an over-sized pedal car to a full electric vehicle with enough ease to befuddle a college journalist, while it's running under full electric power the battery is being continuously charged by four solar panels located in the roof and hood.
With human, solar and electric power working together in harmony, the ZEM's range is improved to about 40 miles.
Under its own power, the ZEM can reach speeds of up to 40 miles per hour, Hsu said, although 35 mph is considered the top speed for everyday use. And while we didn't go nearly that fast on my test drive, owing to our desire to not run down students as they went from class to class, it certainly seemed to be zippy.
I would say that the ZEM compares favorably performance-wise to the ubiquitous golf carts that zoom around the campus.
Ultimately, car buyers shouldn't expect to see a ZEM at their local dealership any time soon. But that's not really the point, Hsu said. The ZEM was designed for light duty use, such as mail delivery or checking parking meters, and it's certainly not hard to imagine it in that role.
Since it costs only $4,000 to produce, it's economical as well as eco-friendly, and that might make it hard for such industries to resist.
I just hope their legs are a little beefier than mine if they plan on climbing any hills.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Ptferrarp
Pat Ferraro
posted 12/08/08 @ 1:10 PM PST
The engineering students are on the right track, but the real solar panels belong on the building next to the parking lot, not weighing down the car. The pedal backup is a fun aspect that some people have asked about when they are riding in my GEM (one of those "golf carts, as you call them)
When you power/recharge an EV with solar, you further reduce the payback period and essentially increase the rate of return on the cost of a solar voltaic system. (Continued…)
ZAP Xebra
posted 12/09/08 @ 1:05 AM PST
Agree with Pat Ferraro here. And to get your electricity from solar panels rather than the grid, that is really what makes the EV truly clean.
Dina Oddson
posted 1/13/09 @ 9:28 AM PST
Jon,
Great article, your writing style is creative and interesting. You wrote what could have been a real borrrring..."tech, geek style" descriptive about the campus' future green car, into a fun detailed ride along. (Continued…)
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