Students:
- Philip Cap,
- Brian Broderick (Engg. Management),
- Brian Migliore,
- Kevin Weld
Advisors: N. Asper, B. Sepahpour
The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) has approximately 4 miles of pathways that traverse across TCNJ’s suburban Ewing Campus. With the massive influx of visitors that stroll TCNJ’s campus during vast events such as orientation, homecoming, accepted students’ day, commencement, etc; the College has no internal means of assisting visitors whom may have great difficulty in getting from one side of the campus to the other. This project was intended to assist handicapped, disabled, and elderly visitors of The College of New Jersey’s campus while minimizing its carbon footprint utilizing an electric powertrain powered by lead-acid batteries and a solar panel. The vehicle has been designed with its specific application in mind; it has been sized to capably maneuver the pathways of campus and has been designed anthropometrically to comfortably fit its passengers. The front passengers sit conventionally. There are four passengers that sit in the middle of the chassis, two on each side facing outward. There are also two passengers that sit over the rear axle and face the rear. This area also features a rear-loading ramp and inclined platform to assist one wheelchair passenger while adhering to ADA Standards. Thus, the vehicle is able to hold a total of eight passengers including the driver or seven passengers with a wheelchair passenger. Because this vehicle is expected to see
continuous use on the campus of The College of New Jersey, it has been designed with a lifespan goal of fifteen years. Continuing with the vehicle’s purpose-built philosophy, necessary features have been included to enhance its safety and ride comfort, such as a suitable braking system, seatbelts, and an appropriately tuned suspension system. We are confident that this vehicle will be a great addition to TCNJ’s existing fleet of campus vehicles as it addresses the need for transporting elderly and disabled visitors.