The Cars
Our start-up plan has been to build a new car from the ground up each year and optimize it to compete the following year for a competition cycle of two years per vehicle. That means that we have brought two cars to the competition each year, one with competition experience and the other being completely new. This has allowed us rapid experimentation with new technologies, while at the same time improving on existing designs and really utilizing experienced gained through competition.
In the history of our program, we have retired two competition vehicles thus far: Scarlet Hawk and Red Rocket.
Red Rocket is a series hybrid we brought to the inaugural competition in 2007 as only one of eight teams.
In 2008, Scarlet Hawk celebrated its debut with a 3rd place finish and one of two teams to finish the endurance event.
In 2010, Hammer Hawk won one of the most prestigious adwards - the 2010 1st Place GM Best Engineered Hybrid Systems Award.
Active Vehicle
Thunder Hawk
Component
Description
Car number
18
Active Years
2011-Present
Drive Configuration
Series hybird
Engine
Honda GXH50;
Power: 1.6 kW (2.16 hp) @ 6500 RPM
Fuel Type
Gasoline
Generator
Brushed PM: PMW GPN16
Drive Motor
4x Brushed PM: Agni 119-R;
Power: Front: 4x 20kW (40.5 hp) @ 6000 RPM (120 kW/162 hp peak)
Accumulator
SMC Lithium Polymer, 111V/48Ahr - Nominal
Weight
575 lbs (261 kg)
Retired Vehicles
Hammer Hawk
Component
Description
Car number
31
Active Years
2009-2010
Drive Configuration
Series hybird
Front Drive
2x Perm-motor PMG-132
Power
2x 17.5 hp (13 kW) @ 3500 RPM
Rear Drive
Perm-motor PMS-152
Power
40 hp (30 kW) @ 5500 rpm
Engine
TKM K4S, 200cc - Gasoline
17.5 hp (13 kW) @ 11,500 rpm
Generator
Perm-motor PMG-132
Energy Storage System
Batteries: SMC Lithium Polymer 74.0V-nominal, 36Ahr
Ultracapacitors: Maxwell 96.0V Peak, 82.5F
Vehicle Weight
750 lbs.
Scarlet Hawk
Component
Description
Car number
6
Active Years
2008-2009
Drive Configuration
Parallel hybird
Engine
Yamaha YZ250F
250cc / 40HP @ 12,000 RPM
Motor
D&D ES-15A-6 Permanent Magnet DC
77V / 10HP; 40HP Peak
Generator
10kW belt-driven generator
Accumulator
77V / 15.4Ah Li-poly battery pack
Red Rocket
Component
Description
Car number
12
Active Years
2007-2008
Drive Configuration
Series hybird
Engine
Kawasaki Ninja
250cc / 28HP @ 12,500 RPM
Motor
Azure Dynamics AC24
300V / 40HP @ 4,500 RPM
Generator
AC PM 20kVA @ 6000 RPM
Accumulator
230 V / 15Ah Li-ion battery pack