el-efficient commuter vehicle
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explains the TWV's function as a
report prepared for the Research
Council.
"The body is one-inch thick
urethane sandwiched by layers of
fiberglass, which makes it a very
strong type of construction,"
Miller explained.
"The fiberglass resin really
gives you the strength.
"Roll-over protection is given
by an additional roll bar and a
side crash bar welded into the
frame to reinforce the outer
body," he added.
The TWV is presently powered
by a 20-horsepower, two-cylinder
engine donated by the Onan Cor
poration, but Miller hopes to
someday "convert it to an all
electric vehicle or posssibly a
hybrid, with a much smaller inter
nal combustion engine driving a
generator which, in turn, would
produce electricity to run the elec
tric motor."
Although it would initially be
more costly, Miller said, "The
hybrid would be the ideal system
for running the TWV. The small
engine, while running, continually
charges the battery. This means
less weight and more efficiency
since we wouldn't need the extra
batteries required by an all
electric vehicle."
The transmission of the TWV
is a variable-ratio, belt-drive type
used in snowmobiles, according to
Miller.
"It is similar to an automatic
transmission, but possesses in
finite ratios so the transmission
always selects the correct ratio for
the varying road conditions.
"I intended the pro
ject as a challenge to
the students to build
a car from the
ground up."
Donald Miller,
Asstistant Professor
of Engineering
"The students drove it all over
campus and found that there
wasn't a hill that the TWV
couldn't climb."
One of the refinements still
needed is a viable reversing
system. With a smile, Miller said,
"I hate to mention it, but as it
stands now we can only go for
ward. There is no reverse. That is
a project for the future, to design
a very simple forward/reverse
gearbox."
The forward/reverse system
isn't needed right away because
the TWV will be licensed as a
motorcycle. Any vehicle with less
than four wheels is considered
such by the Pennsylvania Depart
ment of Transportation. Before
registration and licensing, the
TWV will have to be inspected
and approved by both PennDOT
and the State Police.
The project began when Miller
assigned his winter, 1982 class to
build a small, lightweight, though
safe and energy-efficient com
muter vehicle. Statistics cited by
Miller show that the average vehi
cle used to commute to and from
work carries an average of 1.2
persons, with the vehicles
weighing 2,500 to 3,000 pounds.
The TWV can carry two adults
sitting one behind the other and
weighs only 1,000 pounds. The
tandem seating arrangement
means that the passengers would
always be seated on the central
axis of the vehicle for perfect
balance. It also allows for a
smaller frontal area and the better
aerodynamic shape, Miller said.
"There have been no specific
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Dr. Miller inspects back of TWV
road tests done to determine exact
fuel efficiency," he went on,
"though we estimate by various
calculations that the TWV will get
60 miles-per-gallon. We also hope
for a top speed of 60 to 70 miles
per-hour."
The research vehicle contains a
variety of monitoring instruments.
An auto-computer, purchased at
retail for $lOO, continuously
registers speed, miles-per-gallon,
battery voltage, engine air intake
temperatures and other functions;
a tachometer and torque meter
• ••".
permit the operator to determine
how many horsepower the engine
is producing at any time.
Final testing and preliminary
evaluation are only months away,
according to Miller.
"I intended the project as a
challenge to the students to build
a car from the ground up," he
said.
"They did, and hopefully,
future classes will be able to do
various research with me on the
TWV. Who knows what it will all
lead to?"
Photos by Jeffrey G. Shalzer