Written by Mark Mcalary
We arrived at Sydney Motorsport Park (SMSP) meeting our faculty members to start our day of testing. We began the track day with a shakedown to ensure both the cars would be operating efficiently on the track. After a thorough inspection and shakedown process was complete, we confirmed there were no issues. Both cars were ready to hit the track.
We then discussed with our faculty members the importance of watching out for and identifying any potential safety hazards, like debris. We also reviewed the meanings of the display flags and practiced the safety procedure for exiting the cars in an emergency.
We then made some adjustments to the electrical systems and checked everything was running smoothly. Our workshop staff drove our 2023 EV, Billie, and found no faults during the process. Our 2003 internal combustion (IC) car, Sergio, also appeared at the track day. Both faculty and team members had the chance to drive Sergio, which was a great opportunity to learn more about its design.
Having two cars separated by 20 years gave our team an insight into the differences and similarities between the first IC cars we made, and our most recent EV. While many things have changed, there are still many things that remain similar despite the age gap. For his old age, Sergio ran well throughout the day before having a rest.
Finally, we conducted Higher power runs with the EV car Billie, which were successfully conducted. We were able to learn a lot from trying to simulate potential errors to map out the most optimal path to resolving them.
As the day concluded, we packed up and returned to UOW, pleased with the progress and valuable insights gained from our day at Sydney Motorsport Park.
