Preparation
The preparation involved in this project started in the fall of 2008. The project planning started with a lot of thought given to the feasibility of the entire project. Once the feasibility was determined, the research was started. This included past projects, the work and components involved, and the state of the art of current electric vehicles.
The project Gantt chart was created first. This showed the projects projected timeline. An initial budget was then created with estimated costs. The total estimated cost was calculated to be $2552.66. The costs were broken down into each component and costs that would be incurred.
Once the budget and timeline were finalized the motorcycle was then purchased. This was financed by the Mechanical Engineering Department. The final cost of the motorcycle was $250.00.
The main components were then purchased. These were the motor kit and the batteries. The motor kit included the motor, controller, throttle, fuse, and wire. Dr. Cercone paid for all of these components as mentioned above.
Once the components were purchased, the cleaning of the frame took place. This involved removing all the parts that was possible and then using a wire brush to remove all the grease and paint from the frame. After this the frame was painted with primer to avoid rusting.
After the frame was painted, the design and manufacturing took place.