Design and fabrication of a Hybrid Go-Kart

Abstract

The racing go-kart used these days are completely run using a petrol engine. This leads to several mechanical issues such as engine breakdown, gearbox issues etc which cause great damage to the racing team both financially and physically. it should also be mentioned that whenever there is a mechanical issue, the damage not only affects that particular vehicle but also leads to further accidents in the track causing damage to other vehicles in the competition as well. The current work is an attempt to design and fabricate a hybrid go-kart which overcomes these issues. The Go-kart used in the project runs with a Rotax FR 125 Max petrol engine, which is 21kW or 28Hp and a 3kW or 4Hp, Electric Brushless Motor is added to the Go-kart through the project to make it Hybrid. Formula-K FK 01 Chassis is used for this project. This Hybrid Technology can be used when the petrol engine is damaged during the race or when the vehicle runs at low speed in order to save petrol and reduce carbon emission. However, this Hybrid system will not automatically turn on, but have to be switched manually to change the primary power source from petrol engine to an electric motor. The project focuses on improving the current design structure and other safety features in a go-kart thereby making the Go-kart more durable, efficient and ways to avoid further collision during sudden mechanical failure.