Facing a senior design project, four WVU Institute of Technology students decided to build an electric motorcycle. Justin Cole, Kris Williams, Chad Dickman and Todd Sanderson resurrected a 1974 Suzuki GT 750 into a mean green machine capable of going 25 miles on a single charge and a top speed of 50 miles per hour. Their bike can fully charge in eight hours from the onboard charger ironically stored in the gas tank.
For System Designs 1 and 2, these aspiring mechanical engineers proposed designing and fabricating all the necessary parts to convert a 35-year-old motorcycle into a plug-in electric motorcycle. The team was confident they could successfully complete the project due to their experience with WVU Institute of Technology’s Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) off-road racing team.
The team began by outlining what materials and components were needed to make the endeavor a success. The list began with the bike, motor, batteries, and a variety of controllers. Everything else, including engine mounts, the battery case and charging system, the students built from scratch. The team also quickly met a harsh financial reality. The total costs of the project added up to $2,100.
Facing a funding crisis, the teams turned to Dr James Cercone, Interim Dean of the Leonard C Nelson College of Engineering and Science. The students made a proposal concerning their project, and were able to acquire the necessary funds from various departments in the college.
“The students demonstrated a real passion for the project, and it is our mission to support our students. They made a good case, and planned to produce a motorcycle that had the distance to cover the average commute and deliver highway speeds,” said Dr Cercone.
Construction of the bike began in January. The motorcycle was stripped of the combustion engine, and prepared for the conversion. Once the frame was down to the bare bones, the team began to assemble the electric engine and controls. Adversity soon followed.
“I quickly learned the devil is in the details on this project. We had some setbacks, yet each time through persistence and teamwork, overcame the unexpected,” said Justin Cole, now a recent mechanical engineering graduate.
Construction of the motorcycle went down to the wire, with finals and a deadline facing the students. At the time of the first field test, the weather refused to cooperate, only providing days of rain. The team waited until the hallways of the engineering labs were empty, and celebrated their success as the bike zipped quietly around the building.
In the end, the motorcycle was a success, and named the Meev, which stands for Mechanical Engineering Electric Vehicle. Each team member received top marks for their efforts. Dr Bernhard Betting, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at WVU Institute of Technology, is currently working on curriculum adjustments to increase the number of projects students complete by adding more hands-on experience to sophomore and junior classes.
“A motivated student is a great asset to this institution, and is why I love teaching. These students went above and beyond on this project because they loved what they were doing,” said Dr Betting.
Three of the team members are returning to Tech next year with ambitions of making their electric motorcycle street legal. Justin Cole graduated in May and is currently looking for a future in building more electric motorcycles.