New Club Moves Forward with Building an Electric Racing Vehicle

A student group known as the GREEN 707 Club has been working throughout the academic year to design and assemble an electric vehicle to be used as a drag racer.

The group is hoping to enter the vehicle – a Chevy S-10 that they converted and redesigned – in a drag race in May and/or June.

The Green 707 Club was formed in the fall of 2010 under the guidance of Hemchandra Shertukde, professor of electrical and computer engineering in the College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture (CETA).

In March, Shertukde and graduate student John Dipaola-Tromba attended the first International Electric Vehicle Conference in Greenville, S.C., sponsored by IEEE and Clemson University. The GREEN 707 Club had a booth at the conference.

Interest in the project has been steadily growing, especially in light of skyrocketing oil prices, Shertukde said. The GREEN 707 Club was recognized by SGA this semester as an official student club at the University of Hartford.

A number of donors have provided funding for the project, including the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department in CETA, CETA Dean Lou Manzione, the Provost’s Office, and the Student Government Association.

The club is seeking additional donations, grants, and sponsors for the project.
Click here for website with link to donation form: http://www.hartford.edu/daily/Article/View/12895