2011 ASME HPVC West Champions

The Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology’s Human Powered Vehicle Team ended the year with a first place overall finish at the American Society of Mechanical Engineer’s West Coast Challenge, following a fifth place overall finish at the East Coast Competition. 

The team’s West Coast competition included first place finishes in the female sprint, design report, and utility race.  In addition the team took second place in the male sprint event and third place in the endurance race.  The team was awarded the Sportsmanship award for assisting other teams before and during competition. 

The first place finish followed a fifth place showing at the Rose-Hulman hosted East Coast competition, which was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  “Racing on such a historic track was a once in a life time experience.  Racing at the Speedway and seeing all of the other teams’ designs made this one of my favorite biking memories,” commented Drew Robertson, sophomore mechanical engineering student who flew by the Yard of Bricks at 36.3 mph during the sprint race.

The ASME’s Human Powered Vehicle Challenge provides an opportunity for undergraduate and graduate engineering students to demonstrate the application of sound engineering design principles in the development of sustainable and practical transportation alternatives.  Students design and build efficient, highly engineered vehicles for everyday use — from commuting to work to carrying groceries home from the market.

The East Coast Competition saw the team facing off against the University of Toronto, Missouri S&T, and the University of Central Florida, who took first, second, and third places respectively.  In addition, the competition featured, among other schools, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Cal Poly, Olin College (who won the speed class), Grove City (who will be hosting next year’s competition), and the Universidad de Los Andes. 

The West Coast Competition included Missouri S&T, and South Dakota School of Mining and Technology, who took second and third places, respectively, behind Rose-Hulman.  The competition was hosted by Montana State University, who won the speed class, and included IIT Bombay, and Iowa State, among a field of 16 teams.

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