February 21, 2008

Contact: Amy Hewes
College of Engineering
805-756-6402
ahewes@calpoly.edu

Cal Poly Engineering Students Receive Grant to Develop Plug-In Hybrid

The Cal Poly Formula Hybrid Team has received a $12,500 grant to develop and race a plug-in hybrid vehicle in the Formula Hybrid International Competition, May 5-7 in Loudon, NH. Cal Poly is one of only two schools in the state of California to get the grant.

Plug In America awards the grant to encourage engineering innovation among California college and university students. The prominent plug-in car advocacy group received funding for this initiative from the California Air Resources Board.

"I am excited to lead a young energetic Formula Hybrid team in a project which embodies Cal Poly's ‘Learn by Doing' philosophy," said Justin Jang, Cal Poly Formula Hybrid team leader. "With the support of the Mechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Tilton Engineering, and now Plug In America, we hope that this project will help lead us towards more efficient modes of transportation."

Under the program, students design and build an open-wheel, single-seat car that must conform to a strict set of rules emphasizing drive train innovation and fuel efficiency. A Formula Hybrid vehicle must use at least 15 percent less gasoline than a comparable Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Formula racecar operated under the same conditions. Another guideline involves recycling: unlike Formula SAE, Formula Hybrid teams are encouraged to incorporate used racecar parts rather than build everything from scratch.

Cal Poly's Formula Hybrid team, a hybrid itself, consists of students from mechanical and electrical engineering backgrounds. The competition, held this year at the New Hampshire International Speedway, has a wide range of sponsors: SAE and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers are sponsors of the program, along with Plug In America and major automakers including Toyota, DaimlerChrysler and General Motors.

"Formula Hybrid encourages the next generation of engineers to explore and experience the benefits of electricity use for transportation. Hybrids have already demonstrated electricity's advantages--imagine what it can do with plug-in hybrids and beyond," said Jay Friedland, legislative director of Plug In America.

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