University of Toronto Human Powered Vehicle: Difference between revisions

The team was founded in 2008 by [https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-reichert-722b956b/ Todd Reichert] and [https://www.linkedin.com/in/camerondrobertson/ Cameron Robertson], both University of Toronto alumni, who later went to found [http://www.aerovelo.com/ Aerovelo.]

=Projects History=

In September of 2011 the team competed in the Battle Mountain WHPSC again, this time in hopes of setting a world speed record. After a week of racing the team marked a top speed of 116.9 km/h by Todd Reichert, still well short of the world record.

==Bluenose (2011 - 2012)==

HPVDT significantly redesigned all aspects of the design  for the next iteration of speedbike. Led by co-captains Trefor Evans (NΨ 1T3) and Aidan Muller (MSE 1T3), the team proceeded to manufacture the Bluenose vehicle. This design boasted much-improved aerodynamics, highly-durable construction, revised steering geometry, and a new landing gear system.Bluenose competed at the 2012 ASME HPVC, where it won awards in the Design and Sprint events. The team finished 4th overall.

WHPSC 2012 was disappointing. A variety of handling and visibility problems prevented Bluenose from reaching its potential, and the team failed to improve upon Vortex's top speed.

Despite mediocre performance in the Design and Innovation categories, Celero placed well in both the Sprint and Endurance races. In fact, the Endurance race was won by an unusually-large margin; Celero finished the 2.5 hour event having covered nearly 20% more distance than the next-fastest vehicle. Overall, HPVDT finished 3rd in this competition. Shortly after this event, Calvin Moes (NΨ 1T3+PEY) was elected as the new Team Captain. Long may he rule!

==World Human-Powered Speed Challange 2013 and collaboration with Aerovelo==

The 2013 World Human-Powered Speed Challenge remains one of HPVDT's greatest successes. With low-friction tires, a custom-built camera vision system, and four well-practiced riders, Bluenose was ready to go fast. Vortex was also tuned up for three of the team's less-experienced riders. Despite some handling problems early in the week-long event, Bluenose eventually reached a top speed of 125 km/h (alumnus rider Todd Reichert), while Calvin Moes and Trefor Evans both set collegiate records. The team finished with an unprecedented 3 riders over 75 MPH, and all seven riders set ambitious personal bests. HPVDT was presented with a one-time Innovation Award for our camera vision system, which was a vast improvement over other designs in terms of clarity, function, and reliability.

==Valkyrie and ETA (2013 - 2014)==

HPVDT built a leaning tricycle for the ASME HPVC event. It performed well in the Innovation and Speed events, but was mediocre in Design and Endurance. The team finished 7th overall.

During the summer of 2014, members of HPVDT collaborated with AeroVelo Inc. to design and build the Eta speedbike. With a myriad of new design features and unparalleled aerodynamic quality, Eta was a favorite among the HPV community to set a new speed record.

In order to better support the Eta project, HPVDT did not field any of its own vehicles at WHPSC 2014. Along with AeroVelo's top athlete Todd Reichert, HPVDT/AeroVelo riders Trefor Evans and Calvin Moes competed in the week of racing. Todd managed to set a personal best speed, but did not achieve the goal of a new world speed record. Following the competition, strategic differences between AeroVelo and HPVDT resulted in the two organizations ceasing large-scale collaboration. As part of this agreement, HPVDT retained the right to build a "clone" of the Eta speedbike.

==Viteza (2014 - 2015)==

==ETA Prime and Axios (2015-2016)==

During the summer term, several members of HPVDT undertook to construct an updated version of the Eta speedbike, to be called Eta Prime. While not completed in time for WHPSC 2015, the new speedbike project made excellent progress. Among the modifications made were a lighter fairing, a stiffer frame, and an updated electronics package.

Concurrently with work on the new speedbike, HPVDT undertook to design and build a human-powered submarine with the goal of smashing existing records for both speed and endurance. The project began with a feasibility study followed by extensive research into hydrodynamics, SCUBA technology, and safety systems. By the end of 2015, all major design decisions had been made and work was progressing towards finalization of the hydrodynamic shape.

Through the summer, work on Eta prime was completed and the team raced it for the first time at WHPSC 2016. At the same event, former team founder Todd Reichert set a new absolute world record of 144.17 km/h (89.59 mi/h) in Eta.  

==Cyclone (2015-2016)==

==Tempest (2016 - 2017)==

Evan Bennewies and Alan Pettit led the ASME project to build another iteration of Vortex called Tempest. It refines the concept of Cyclone explored the previous year, featuring reinforced landing legs, a quick release drivetrain assembly, and compatibility with the very fast Michelin blue eco-marathon tires. The vehicle competed at ASME HPVC 2016, and was thereafter used at HPRA races and for training new riders. Though the vehicle improved upon the reliability of Cyclone, it never reached the same consistency as Vortex.  

==ETA Prime at WHPSC 2017==

The team refines Eta prime over the summer and gets it in good working order while Calvin familiarizes himself with its handling. The team also restores Bluenose and sends both vehicles to Battle Moutain. At WHPSC 2017, Calvin reaches a maximum speed of 127.62 km/h (79.30 mi/h), the highest speed of that year's competition. Most of the other team members in attendance also each attain personal bests.  

==Arbiter (2017 - 2018)==

The team pursues a fully faired recumbent tricycle with external wheel pods called Arbiter for ASME under project director Bruce Hu. The design features a tadpole configuration with two external front wheels with co-moving wheel fairings, steered by a four bar linkage.  For the first time in team history, the vehicle is test ridden before the competition. Unfortunately, the vehicle suffered a mechanical malfunction in the right steering rod during the first heat of the Women's drag event and the damage prevents the team from competing in either drag event. However the team works through the night and the vehicle is once again functional the next morning and finishes the endurance event in 4th place.  

In May, Bill Kong succeeds Calvin Moes as captain. For World Speed Challenge, the team sends Eta Prime and Bluenose again where Calvin finally earns his long awaited 80 mph hat and finishes the competition in second place overall.  

==Zephyr (2018 - 2019)==

For ASME, the team builds the partially faired upright bike Zephyr. The design features front and rear fairings inline with the rider's torso, significant use of prepreg carbon, streamlined frame, and wheel sections, and a wide range of positional adjustment. The vehicle was again tested and ride-logged before the competition and performed smoothly throughout the event. Zephyr took first place in both Men's and Women's drag events and dominated the Endurance event, lapping the second-place vehicle seven times.  

==Titan (2018 - 2019)==

Calvin starts a new project for a two-seater speedbike, Titan. The design is similar in many ways to a scaled-up Eta prime. The vehicle is taken to Battle Mountain for WHPSC 2019. On Friday night, September 13th, 2019, Calvin and Evan push Titan to 120.27 km/h (74.73 mi/h) and set a new world tandem record.

==Blueshift (2019 - 2020)==

HPVDT designs a vehicle to compete at both ASME 2020 and WHPSC 2020 under the multitrack category. Several vehicle configurations are considered including a diamond-configuration quadcycle and a delta tricycle.