Perhaps the busiest week of the year has come to an end. After a several week push to finish all of the projects slated for the year, the OSU Challenge X vehicle has shipped to competition. Additionally, the team held a media kickoff to competition on Wednesday and traveled to Detroit on Thursday to attend the SAE Foundation Banquet at the Renaissance  Center.

    The team will travel to the Milford Proving Grounds on Wednesday this week for the culmination of the 2007 competition year. While in Milford, the team will compete is many events including acceleration, handling, fuel economy, emissions, as well as deliver several presentations including consumer acceptability, vehicle design, and a technical presentation.

    Striving for the year's goal of 99% buyoff, the team completed many projects to deliver a smooth driving well integrated vehicle. When looking under the hood, those familiar with last years vehicle will notice the custom fuse box donated by Cooper Bussman, as well as custom covers designed and built by the team. Moving away from the engine the exhaust and emmisions after-treatment system has been repackaged and upgraded resulting in a very impressive installation.  Also noticeable under the vehicle is the reduction of rubber hoses for the high voltage cooling loop; in their place are now custom fabricated aluminum tubes.

    Also of note, the rear electric motor has been remounted utilizing light weight materials, and better vibration isolation techniques. Protruding from the rear drive is a new lighter weight driveshaft connecting to the highly modified stock rear differential, reducing vehicle weight, and increasing driveline durability. Further reducing vehicle mass, and adding to the stopping power, four-wheel disc brakes have been added, implementing light weight rotors and calipers. 

    Moving inside the vehicle, the high voltage system as well as much of the low voltage system has been repackaged with emphasis placed on weight reduction and serviceability.

   Good luck to this year's team at competition, and congratulations on a job well done.