An ultracapacitor driven short-distance electric vehicle

Electric vehicle technology has gained significant momentum during the last one decade or so due to depleting oil reserves and growing environmental concerns. This paper proposes the concept of an electric two-wheeler which can be used for commuting in small campuses and large industrial establishments. The vehicle is slated to be powered by an ultracapacitor bank to overcome the drawbacks of batteries. It can cover small distances with intermittent charging at predefined locations. The paper includes basic calculations to establish energy requirements of vehicle, mathematical modelling of vehicle, justification for selection of motor, system-simulation and verification of the capability of an ultracapacitor bank to power such a vehicle to cover short distances. All the analytical, simulation and experimental results related to this work are presented.