"Xebra Muscle" Making the Xebra Electric Car Go Faster Using Hydraulics

Abstract

Due to increasing levels of CO2 within the earth's atmosphere, there is a growing demand for alternative forms of energy in the automotive industry. Among these alternatives are electric powered vehicles, which offer highly efficient highway cruising, but very poor acceleration. With the help of Mr. David Swain from the Environmental Protection Agency, our team is designing a hydraulic launch assist system for the Xebra Electric Vehicle. This system will give the vehicle an additional boost of 50 Hp to be used during acceleration, thereby increasing performance of the vehicle without compromising energy economy. The hydraulic system has been implemented on a 92 Ford Ranger and will be installed on the Xebra vehicle during the Fall 06 semester.