Cool Bike, Cooler Batteries

Dean Sigler Electric Powerplants, Sustainable Aviation Leave a Comment

A few years ago, Purdue University students Jim Danielson and Sean Kleinschmidt, helped launch the Purdue Electric Vehicles Club with physics major Tony “Danger” Coiro, who had created his own solar-powered motorcycle from a 1978 Suzuki he purchased for $50. Coiro drove around on his sun-mobile for less than one cent per mile. Just out of high school, Danielson and Kleinschmidt found another frugal ride, a 924 Porsche for a mere $500. The blown engine wasn’t a problem, since they replaced it with an electric forklift motor, controller and battery. The looks were great, although the poky top speed and lackadaisical acceleration strained against the image. Their initial success sent Kleinschmidt to a summer internship at Tesla where he worked on battery development and Danielson to Electro-Motive Diesel, where he helped create motor control electronics. besides founding the EV club, the trio oversaw construction of the 17 electric race karts that students built for the first-ever electric vehicle grand prix, …