The University of Idaho Argonaut

This humvee was loaned to the University of Idaho by the U.S. Army. The Office of Naval Research worked in conjunction with the Mechanical Engineering Department to make it a hybrid vehicle. Courtesy Photo

In 2007, Toyota replaced General Motors as the top seller in automobiles. Its move to the forefront was due in part to the success of the Prius, created with hybrid technology — the same technology that is sweeping through the University of Idaho.
Until late September, UI had its own hybrid vehicle — a camouflaged diesel humvee.  Up to 20 UI students were involved in the creative process. Dean Edwards, a mechanical engineering professor, was present to facilitate the learning process.
“This is good training for (students),” he said. “This is new technology that you’re going to see more of.”

The humvee was built with a high-powered, lead-acid battery, which was created using the existing diesel engine.  The engine is used to start the vehicle, but its power is boosted and maintained by the battery. The engine’s alternator keeps the battery charged, completing the cycle.
Adding a battery component makes it possible for the large vehicle to run on a smaller engine and save gas. The humvee’s hybrid engine ran on only 85 horsepower. Edwards said the humvee could run 10-15 miles at 35-45 miles per hour before depleting the battery.

UI engineer Tom Bean worked to produce the control system to run the engine’s generator. A UI graduate, Bean said, like any project, hands-on experience increases its effectiveness.
“With every new project you get into, you end up at a higher level,” he said. “And you can go and apply that to other things.”
The humvee was loaned to UI by the army. The UI team worked in conjunction with the Office of Naval Research.
Edwards said hybrid-electric vehicles are an asset to the military for many reasons. The high-powered batteries can run the vehicle without the engine running, increasing the vehicle’s stealth. Running the vehicle without the heat-producing engine also eliminates its thermal signature.

With a plug-in component added, Bean said it would be possible to use a the battery to power a military camp if needed.
The humvee had to be returned to the army in late September. Edwards said the next project will be a hybrid sports car, which he hopes will be started next semester.
Edwards said the technology’s practical application could revolutionize the way people think about their daily commute. Creating a small battery that could propel a car 30 to 40 miles would take care of 90 percent of the average individual’s drive time, reduce pollution and decrease global warming.

Initially most automobile producers didn’t see a market for hybrid vehicles, Edwards said.
“They kind of missed the bolt,” he said.
Edwards said there are complaints technology should be more advanced.
“People say, ‘Well, we put a man on the moon why can’t we build an electric car?’” he said.
However, one of the main reasons these types of vehicles aren’t more widely used is their cost.

“It took a lot of money to put a man on the moon, too,” Bean said.
Edwards said the battery used in the humvee was relatively inexpensive, considering the average cost. Depending on its size, Edwards said a battery can cost anywhere from $5,000 to more than $10,000.