The Lorax

Started in 2001

What is it and what can it do?

The Lorax is a vehicle that was donated to us by John Murphy in 2001. It runs solely on electricity. It can reach a speed of 50 mph and has 34 electric horsepower with 75 foot pounds at the motor and 900 pounds at the driving wheels(front wheels) of torque. The car travel 75 miles per charge and runs at 6 miles per kilowatt-hour(kwh).

Why are there three wheels?

With three wheels instead of four, there is less friction (making car more energy efficient) and the car is lighter(because of the removal of one wheel and axle).

What does the solar cell on the car roof do?

The solar cell on the roof holds a 12-volt battery which powers the Solectria controller. It has no effect on charging the 12-acid Deka batteries.