As Covid-19 cases decreased and the University resumed in person classes, we were able to meet in person for the first time since March 2020! It was exciting to meet members who joined during Covid for the first time in person and to see old members as well. As a team, we decided to implement a hybrid system for weekly meetings with approximately half meeting in person and the other half joining via Zoom. Most people liked this form of meeting as it allowed for people to choose if they wanted to attend in person or virtually.
During the Fall 2021 semester, we finished up the design of Joule and planned to start manufacturing in the spring. We were able to grow our team from 10 people to around 30 people which is the biggest this team has grown to in several years. The Powertrain and Chassis teams were able to complete major design projects with our new members and develop manufacturing plans for the upcoming semester. Our Systems team has been working hard on developing a brushless motor controller for Joule as it will be more efficient than a brushed motor controller. It will be exciting for these new members to see and build Joule into our new battery electric car and to race it in the Shell Ecomarathon one day.
As for Lux, we are excited to have the opportunity to race again in Shell Eco-marathon 2022. Provisionally, the event will be held in Indianapolis, Indiana on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in April. We were able to visit Lux at the RFS for the first time in 2 years, and clean up and set up the shop for a new semester. We are working on putting the finishing touches on Lux this semester to make sure Lux is competition ready. Due to Covid-19, there have been additional rules set in place so teams can be as safe as possible. There is a possibility that the competition may get cancelled again due to Covid, but we are hoping that will not be the case this year.
Overall, we are excited to be back in person to design and manufacture Joule and get Lux ready for the Shell Eco-marathon. We hope that the future of our team, Lux, and Joule will continue to make great progress no matter the circumstances!
– Megan Lie, Team Lead