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World speed racing is perhaps the pinnacle of all racing. At Brigham Young University, a team of students designed an E1 class car using computer-aided design and analysis. Advanced batteries were tested under extremely fast discharge to determine their suitability for racing. A test frame was also manufactured by the students, and preparations are beginning to race on the Utah Salt Flats.

A student team from Brigham Young University (BYU) set a new record for the world's fastest electric drag racecar. The team modified a production EV1 donated to the university by the General Motors Corporation and installed a bank of 160 UltraCapacitors rated at 2700 farads each. This paper describes the design of the capacitor pack, the car's drive train, the charging method and other modifications of the vehicle. Here we also discuss performance and race data from an official quarter-mile drag race sanctioned by the National Electric Drag Racing Association. A simulation model for vehicle performance was also developed and is presented here.

This paper describes electrochemical behavior of microscopic batteries based on both the lithium/ion and Ni/Zn couples. These batteries are being developed for use in MEMS devices and other microelectronics, especially remote, autonomous sensors. Many of these applications require a combination of long cycle life, moderate energy storage capability, and periodic high power output. Batteries have been made using high-volume, lowcost, fabrication techniques, described in prior publications. These batteries have been built and evaluated for their electrochemical performance. Power output from both types of cells is impressive; current densities of 80 - 100 and 20 - 50 mA/cm2 have been observed, for discharges of several seconds, for Ni/Zn and Li/Ion cells, respectively. Much higher current densities are observed for discharges lasting a few milliseconds, such as would be needed in many applications. Specific capacities of 2 - 4 C/cm2 are also obtained.