The Junior ROTC members, all of whom had no experience driving electric go-karts, were divided into four

groups of 8 students each and two groups of 9 students each.

Department of Computer Technology

Energy Usage/Efficiency of Inexperienced Drivers in Electric Vehicles Mobolaji Akinpelu, Brant Price, James Stratton, Joel Schmidt, Dr. J. Eric Dietz Department of Computer and Information Technology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47904
INTRODUCTION
This year, leading technical universities in Indiana established a program to prepare the workforce needed to design, manufacture, and maintain advanced electric vehicles. To achieve this aim, an Electric Grand Prix go-kart race was developed to excite young people to commit to a career in electric vehicle technology, ensuring the development of the next generation of electric vehicles. Fifty Junior ROTC members were invited to the go-kart race to learn about electric vehicles and participate in a study on how experience in driving internal combustion vehicles and lack of experience in driving go-karts affect energy usage/efficiency.
EXAMPLE DATA SET FROM CART #22
Cart #, Driver # Cart 22, Driver 1 Cart 22, Driver 2 Cart 22, Driver 3 Cart 22, Driver 4 Cart 22, Driver 5 Cart 22, Driver 6 Cart 22, Driver 7 Cart 22, Driver 8 Cart 22, Driver 9 Cart 22, Driver 10 Cart 22, Driver 11 Cart 22, Driver 12 Time (Seconds) 393.00 309.00 322.00 360.00 341.50 322.00 344.00 315.00 358.00 253.50 269.00 260.00 Energy (Watt-Hours) 175.58 220.62 226.74 172.80 213.06 202.70 169.80 203.30 151.20 246.20 240.50 297.50

DATA ANALYSIS
First, the average of the two measured times was taken. Next, the amount of amp-hours used by each driver was compared with the time it took each driver to complete the race and the number of years of the drivers experience with internal combustion vehicles. The comparisons provided information on trends or the lack of trends in how inexperienced drivers use electric vehicles.
Time Energy

CART #22
450.00 400.00 350.00 300.00 250.00 200.00 150.00 100.00 50.00 0.00 350.00 300.00 250.00 200.00 150.00 100.00 50.00 0.00

Energy (Wh)

Time (sec)

RESULTS
The analysis showed that the maximum energy usage of inexperienced drivers was 44.625 W-H/lap. And that the average energy usage of inexperienced drivers was 30.00 W-H/lap. The analysis also showed that the minimum energy usage of inexperienced drivers was 19.211 W-H/lap. Also, the analysis showed that, given a drivers inexperience with electric vehicles, there is no significant connection between a drivers experience with internal combustion vehicles and his/her ability to drive electric vehicles efficiently.

CART #22
450.00 400.00 350.00 300.00 250.00 200.00 150.00 100.00 50.00 0.00 350.00 300.00 Energy (Wh) 250.00 200.00 150.00 100.00 50.00 0.00

METHODOLOGY
The Junior ROTC members, all of whom had no experience driving electric go-karts, were divided into six groups. Each group was assigned to one electric go-kart. The members of a group rotated among driving a go- kart, collecting information, serving as pit workers, and serving as members of the first-aid crew. The information collected were time taken for each of seven laps (twice) number of years driving internal combustion vehicles number of watt-hours used for each of seven laps number of amp-hours used for each of seven laps

Time (sec)

Time Energy

CART #22

450.00 400.00 350.00 300.00 250.00 200.00 150.00 100.00 50.00 0.00

350.00 300.00 Energy (Wh) 250.00 200.00 150.00 100.00 50.00 0.00

Time (sec)

Time Energy

CONCLUSIONS
The information on minimum, maximum, and average energy usage will help us design batteries for future races because it gives an estimation of the amount of energy, and hence the battery capacity, required for each lap in a race. The next experiment in this study will determine, for experienced drivers, the relationships among the factors that affect energy efficiency in electric vehicles. We will also develop a race strategy that helps drivers know how to conserve energy and maximize time. The broader goal of the research project is to increase energy-efficiency in future electric vehicles.

CHARTS DESCRIBING THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG TIME, ENERGY USED, AND DRIVER EXPERIENCE WITH INTERNAL COMBUSTION VEHICLES FOR CART #22.