VDS GROEP T
- VDS GROEP T Intro
- Past, present and future
- Mission-statement & vision
- Vehicle Design Summit Consortium
About VDS GROEP T
VDS GROEP T is a team of 14 engineering students from GROEP T Leuven University College. Together with tens of universities, organisations and companies, VDS GROEP T develops a next generation environment friendly car, targeting the Indian and Chinese market. The main objective of the VISION – the name of our vehicle – to lower the life cycle cost, i.e. the material and energy impact on the integral environment from production, to use to recycling, as much as possible.
VDS GROEP T specifically targets the electric motor and the lightweight frame, two vital sub systems of the car. GROEP T has significantly increased their knowledge and research on these two domains for the last few years. From the beginning of VDS GROEP T, in August 2007, until August 2008 the team worked on the frame and motor of the VISION 200, the first generation prototype of several more to come. VDS GROEP T organised the first major design review at GROEP T in November 2007, on which the main technical specifications were decided. The team was also actively involved in the market researched in New Delhi, the primary target market of the VISION vehicle, and the development of the first generation powertrain.
Mid summer of 2008, VDS produced the first VISION prototype in the Turin, Italy. Based on this experience, VDS GROEP T now develops a second prototype, the VISION GT. It will be assembled in spring 2009. The prototype will effectively be used for drive tests and endurance tests. The VISION GT will be a VDS GROEP T car: it will show the lightweight frame, electric motor and motor controller to the maximum. The powertrain, power steering, suspension and braking systems will be incorporated from another existing car. Our researchers won’t focus on these integration components; the innovative sub systems have our priority.
2007-2008
From the beginning of VDS GROEP T, in August 2007, until August 2008 the team worked on the frame and motor of the VISION 200, the first generation prototype of several more to come. VDS GROEP T organised the first major design review at GROEP T in November 2007, on which the main technical specifications were decided. The team was also actively involved in the market researched in New Delhi, the primary target market of the VISION vehicle, and the development of the first generation powertrain.
The frameteam obviously cooperates with a lot of university teams, because of its central role in the car. The team worked closely together with the VDS TU Delft Team, being responsible for the interior and exterior design. They also collaborate with a student team at Tsinghua University, which is actually a co-team of the frameteam. Whereas GROEP T focuses on the design and the FEA of the frame, the Tsinghua team works on the life cycle impact and the crash resistance. The most important results of the frameteam in 2007-2008 is a comparison between a fully developed aluminium and steel/chrome frame. The last one was used as a base for the VISION 200 prototype.
The motorteam faced to objectives in 2007-2008. The first one was to develop a PMSM motor, together with the Berner Fachhochschule in Biel, Switserland. This development was meant as a base for a more advanced motor, scheduled for 2008-2009, the SRM motor. A second target was a pre research trade study of the SRM motor. The SRM motor has significantly better results in the life cycle analysis, compared to all other electric motors. Next to a cheap, fast and environment friendly production, it has a very high efficiency while in use. The design of the PMSM motor was finished in September 2008. The first SRM motor design is scheduled for Q1 of 2009.
In the past year, the motor controller team engineered the PMSM algorithm. This computer program serves as a base for the controller and handles all the inputs from the electric control unit (powertrain controle module) and the outputs to the motor itself. The algorithm will be hardware implemented in 2008-2009. The team also focused on the high-power electronics of the PMSM controller and closely worked together with Triphase, a spin-off company of the Catholic University of Leuven, and the university of California-Davis.
2008-2009
Mid summer of 2008, VDS produced the first VISION prototype in the Turin, Italy. Based on this experience, VDS GROEP T now develops a second prototype, the VISION GT. It will be assembled in spring 2009. The prototype will effectively be used for drive tests and endurance tests. The VISION GT will be a VDS GROEP T car: it will show the lightweight frame, electric motor and motor controller to the maximum. The powertrain, power steering, suspension and braking systems will be incorporated from another existing car. Our researchers won’t focus on these integration components; the innovative sub systems have our priority.
This academic year, the frameteam will focus on composites in particular. They want to develop and build a 100% carbon composite frame. Our researcheres also explore the possibilities of flax fibers, because they have an impressive low life cycle impact – which is the de facto target of VDS GROEP T. The frame will be produced in cooperation with several industrial partners.
The motorteam finished the design of the PMSM motor in September 2008. This motor is obviously controller by the PMSM controller, which will be finished in Q2 2009. The production of the Switched Reluctance Motor is scheduled in Q1 2009. The VISION GT will be driven by an 30 KW SRM motor, 100% developed and designed by VDS GROEP T. The SRM motor has significantly better results in the life cycle analysis, compared to all other electric motors. Next to a cheap, fast and environment friendly production, it has a very high efficiency while in use.
In 2008-2009 the motor controller team will focus on two specific domains: the hardware implementation of the PMSM controller algorithm – both controller and high power electronics – and the first develop cycle of the SRM algorithm. In the second quarter of 2009 VDS GROEP T will show their PMSM controller, and a first version of the SRM algorithm.
From 2009...
One cannot develop a car in one year. VDS GROEP T plans ahead and already set up a research strategy for next year(s). Based on the research results of 2007-2009 (development, production, test results of the endurance test), the frame team will take the mass producability and life cycle cost aspect into account. VDS GROEP T will design flax fiber components, and explore its applicability. The motor team will optimise the electromechanic and exterior housing of the SRM motor. A second research trajectory is the optimisation of the PMSM motor design. The controller team will mainly focus on the hardware implementation of the SRM algorithm. The SRM algorithm itself will also be optimised, to increase the overall motor efficiency and safety measures.
VDS GROEP T Mission statement
Driven to develop a new class of automobile, VDS GROEP T aims to develop a production ready electric motor and lightweight frame, intended to be integrated in a sustainable electric car. Both of these innovative components will be designed with minimal life cycle costs.
VDS GROEP T is associated with Vehicle Design Summit (VDS). Initiated by the Massachussetts Institute Of Technology (M.I.T.), this global knowledge network of twenty universities aims to develop a mass production ready high performance environment friendly car for the Indian and Chinese market. VDS GROEP T is in charge of the frame and electric motor, two vital components of the VDS car. The VDS GROEP T Team strives for a strategic position in the global consortium, to broaden its network.
VDS GROEP T Vision
Student-led innovation
It has been suggested that only students can truly innovate in the energy realm: not obligated to any shareholders or limited by any proprietary agreements, students are motivated by a passion for real-world, tangible results developed in concert with other future industry leaders. University teams the world over already work on solar race cars, formula cars, super-mileage vehicles and scores of other complex problem-solving endeavors.
VDS GROEP T chooses a different strategy: drawing from the same creative drive that inspires student teams to compete; instead of culminating in a race, however, the end goal of VDS GROEP T is a single production-ready automobile. In tandem with mentors from academia, industry, and government, VDS GROEP T will develop the lightweight frame, the high efficiency electric motor, and the motor controller. Other teams will be responsible for different subsystems, vehicle aerodynamics, crash-worthiness, power train architecture and driving dynamics. Other teams will develop the VISION's brand identity, styling, driving profile, consumer acceptability surveys, and marketing strategy – not to mention documentation, program management and the story of VDS itself. More than an engineering exercise, VDS seeks to catalyze energy innovation in a multitude of disciplines.
A team of visionairs
To do this, VDS GROEP T closely cooperates with many national and international universities and companies, creating a diverse and enthusiastic team with expertise in a variety of fields. From the beginning, the consortium will place high priority on open communication channels and a committment to best practice in sustainable design.
VDS GROEP T is not only an engineering team. The team wants to create awareness about the fact that natural resources are limited, that we need to create opportunities in the global warming crisis, and that we owe our children for a safe and sustainable planet. VDS GROEP T turns the global warming crisis into a global warming challenge, by communicating our mission, vision and long term goals. The combined forces of a whole systems engineering approach and the minimal life cycle costs guarantees the attention of a broad spectrum of the public.
Vehicle Design Summit Consortium
VDS GROEP T is one of the 20 university teams of the VDS consortium. All continents are represented in VDS: the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania. A few of the major participating universities are M.I.T. (USA), Harvard University (USA), TU Delft (Netherlands), Tsinghua University (China), and Keio University (Japan).
To have each team build their sub system, a strong collaboration and coordination is needed. Therefore, VDS GROEP T proactively acts as one of the leading teams, by coordinating and supporting several teams, because of their central technical role. By creating and maintaining unique cooperation bonds, both professional and friendly links are created, crossing several continents.