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The University of Idaho has sponsored entries in the Collegiate Design Series (CDS) Clean Snowmobile Competition since 2001. During this period, a topic of ongoing concern among its student leaders is project and knowledge management. The need for holistic implementation of specific methods/tools is underscored by survey feedback from current CDS teams and University of Idaho alumni, many now employed in the automotive/motorsports industry. This paper details local implementation of nine developmentally appropriate practices for CDS teams composed of students at multiple levels in their academic study (underclassmen, seniors, and graduate students).

Over the last five years the Vandal Hybrid Racing team at the University of Idaho has developed a compact, lightweight, and mass centralized vehicle design with a rule-based energy management system. Major areas of innovation are a close fitting frame design made possible by the location of major components and engine modifications to improve performance. The innovative design features include a custom designed engine, battery pack and simplistic hybrid coupling system. The vehicle also incorporates a trailing link suspension, and realization of a rule-based Energy Management System (EMS) which determines the power split of the combustion and electric systems. The EMS oversees the operation of the Lynch electric motor and the YZ250F engine that is housed in a custom crankcase. The battery pack can initially store 2 MJ of energy in a single 50 lb. lithium polymer battery pack that is located underneath the cockpit.