November/December 2021
CAAT TRACKS
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CAAT Participates in ATE Principal Investigators Conference |
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The American Association of Community Colleges, with the support of the National Science Foundation (NSF), hosted the 28th National ATE Principal Investigators’ Conference on October 18-22, 2021 as a virtual event. CAAT Director, Ben Cruz, attended the event.
The conference brought together more than 850 NSF ATE grantees and their project partners to focus on the critical issues related to advanced technological education. Key people working on ATE projects across the country participated in the event. Conference participants represent community colleges, business and industry, secondary school systems, and four-year colleges covering projects in a wide variety of areas, such as information technology, engineering technology, micro- and nanotechnologies, chemical technology, biotechnology, and others.
The 2021 Virtual ATE Conference consisted of more than 40 sessions over five days including pre-conference workshops; plenary, concurrent, spotlight and demonstration sessions; student posters; and an ATE Connects session featuring highlights of 300 ATE projects and centers across the U.S. and the ability to engage with community college leaders in STEM technician education.
New this year, all ATE projects and centers were required to submit materials for inclusion in the ATE Connects session, which was a key component of the virtual conference as it offered attendees the opportunity to network and connect with other conference participants, explore the ATE community, and engage in the sharing of information, resources, and materials.
ATE projects and centers were asked to develop a 90-second video that would provide an overview of the project or center goals and highlight a few promising practices, tools, strategies, or solutions that could be adapted or utilized by others in the ATE community. They were also asked to provide a one-page handout that shared impact data and/or additional resources as well as contact information and a relevant web address and social media handles. These submissions were grouped by STEM discipline category and were searchable by focus area.
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CAAT's STEM Outreach Program Offers Free In-Classroom STEM Labs to Middle Schools |
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Get Your Students Signed Up Today! |
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Over the past 6 weeks or so, Saleta McMurray, CAAT’s STEM Outreach Coordinator, conducted CAAT’s free STEM labs for 497 middle school students in 18 different classrooms from four different middle schools in Wayne and Macomb counties.
The schools were:
- L’Anse Creuse Middle School, Macomb, MI
- Tomlinson Middle School, Inkster, MI
- Hope Academy Middle School, Detroit, MI
- Richmond Middle School, Richmond, MI
More than 80% of the 439 students who completed a survey at the end of the lab indicated that they were more likely to choose a STEM career after having participated in the CAAT’s STEM lab!
The CAAT's highly successful (and free) in-classroom STEM labs have reached more than 16,000 middle school students in Michigan!
The labs begin with a short presentation on why STEM is important, how it will impact students' in the future, a description of the STEM lab, and instructions for completing the lab. A worksheet containing all the technical details is given to the students to fill out during the lab, which requires the students to use higher-order thinking skills.
After completion of the hands-on project, a STEM reflection sheet is handed out. The questions on the reflection sheet require students to think about the best feature of their design and consider why it is the best feature, as well as determine the most challenging problem they had to solve and how they could improve upon their design.
Teachers may choose from among the following labs to best meet their classroom curriculum goals:
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- Career Class
- Lift it with a Lever
- Mini Marshmallow shooters
- Hovercraft
- Balloon Powered Racing Car
- Safety Helmet
- Newton’s Car
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- Lunar Buggy
- Art Wiggle Bot
- Catapult
- Rubber Band Racers
- Space Shuttle Launch
- Wind Powered Car
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What's in the Infrastructure Bill for Electric Vehicles? |
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The $1.2 trillion-dollar infrastructure bill passed by Congress on November 6 and signed into law by President Biden on November 15, includes $7.5 billion to build a nationwide network of plug-in electric vehicle (EV) chargers. According to the White House press release, “The investment will support the President’s goal of building a nationwide network of 500,000 EV chargers to accelerate the adoption of EVs, reduce emissions, improve air quality, and create good-paying jobs across the country.”
According to Joe Britton, president of a trade group that represents a wide range of electric vehicle interests, the bill offers “an unprecedented opportunity to accelerate the deployment of EVs, which will ensure that these benefits are delivered to all Americans—even those who never end up sitting behind the wheel of an EV.”
Also included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act are provisions to upgrade the electric grid, rebuild roads, bridges, and rails, and expand access to clean water and high-speed internet.
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EV Sales Growth Projections and Barriers to Consider |
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Electric vehicle (EV) sales are up more than 88% through the end of the third quarter of 2021 and sales are expected to break 400,000 by the end of the year. Yet, EVs will account for only 3% of the new-vehicle market this year. EV sales are expected to double in the next 2 years. But according to the 2021 Cox Automotive Path to EV Adoption Study, there is more work to be done to remove consumer barriers to EV adoption. Charging infrastructure, range and price continue to be barriers to consumer adoption.
Highlights from the study include:
- Lack of charging infrastructure is the top barrier to EV adoption; however, availability of charging stations, vehicle range, and battery concerns have become less of a barrier for potential buyers
- Among EVs offered today, the average range is approximately 257 miles
- EVs are too expensive, according to more than half of the consumers not considering an EV for their next vehicle
- The average price paid for a new EV was close to $60,000, before rebates, and well above gasoline-equivalent vehicles
- Nearly 60% of respondents intending to purchase a new vehicle would consider an EV if there was no price premium
- Consumers in the U.S. – particularly younger Millennial and Gen Z buyers – are becoming more open to the idea of an electric vehicle future.
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GM to Deploy 40,000 Level 2 Chargers in Communities Across the US and Canada |
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General Motors recently announced its Dealer Community Charging Plan that will expand access to charging in local communities, including under-served, rural and urban areas. As approximately 90% of people live within a 10-mile radius of a GM dealership, the plan will be rolled out through GM dealerships who will work with community leaders to determine the best locations. Each EV dealership will be given up to 10 chargers and locations will include large employers, multi-unit dwellings, sports and entertainment venues and colleges and universities. The program will begin in 2022.
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This report breaks down the growth of the public and private electric vehicle charging infrastructure by charging level, network, and location to determine if the infrastructure will meet demands by 2030. |
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This report examines the challenges facing automotive engineers as they set out to create solutions for developing Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEVs). |
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This report assesses how the public charging of electric vehicles (EV)s at large retail grocery chain stores can affect their electric energy requirements. |
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Managed and unmanaged electric vehicle (EV) charging and fossil fuel costs are compared across 25 major U.S. cities. Data from the American Lung Association provides the positive health impacts of a national transition to EVs by 2050. |
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In this guide, The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and its national laboratories provide extensive information on EVs including both community planning and charging infrastructure. |
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This infographic provides the results from a survey of nearly 5,000 consumers who owned, considered or rejected a fully electric vehicle (EV) during June and July 2021. It uncovers market perceptions and customer experiences with the EV shopping and buying process. |
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Wireless Vehicle Charging Explained |
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Most of us have used, or at least seen, a wireless charging pad to charge a mobile phone. Have you ever wondered if an electric vehicle (EV) could be charged the same way? Simply put, the answer is yes. As EVs use the same battery technology as smartphones, a similarly equipped EV could be charged with a wireless pad. In fact, progress is already being made on this front with some manufacturers testing the ability to wirelessly charge an EV in public parking spaces.
Taken to the next level, it may even be possible to charge EVs and autonomous vehicles as they drive down a road with wireless charging built into the road. Michigan and Indiana are both working on in-pavement charging trials.
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The Technologies Included in Electric Vehicles |
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If you’re interested in making your next vehicle an electric vehicle (EV), or just want to know more about them, it might help to begin with a better understanding of the technology behind them.
These are the 8 key technologies included in today’s EV’s:
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Traction Battery: Lithium ion batteries power electric vehicles.
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Battery Management System: monitors battery cell temperature and voltage
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DC to DC Converter: While the high voltage traction battery propels an EV, other electrical systems require a 12-volt lead-acid battery. The converter takes energy from the 300-volt traction battery and converts it to 12-volt to power the lights, horn and computer systems, among other things.
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Controller: a programmable component that takes input from the vehicle and driver and determines how best to make the vehicle respond to that input, sort of like an electronic brain.
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Inverter: takes direct current from the battery and changes it into alternating current that is used to power the brushless DC motor. The inverter takes commands from the controller and converts them into signals for the motor.
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Traction Motor: Converts electrical energy to mechanical energy in such a way that the vehicle is propelled to overcome drag and resistance.
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Regenerative Braking: Produces electrical energy that helps the battery recharge. This can add more than 20% to the EVs range in stop and go traffic.
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Charger: At minimum an on-board charger that is used to plug the EV into a normal 120-volt household current which charges the vehicle.
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Ford will be designing and buying U.S. made semiconductor chips amid the global shortage.
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Michigan is leading the next generation of technology and manufacturing, particularly in the semiconductor space.
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Nvidia is developing a Drive Concierge feature, which will offer valet-parking options for vehicles, dropping off passengers while the car navigates to a nearby parking space.
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Walmart may reduce logistics costs by as much as 30% for their grocery business by using autonomous vehicles for distribution.
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... Michigan is planning a Detroit to Ann Arbor mobility corridor? The project was announced recently at Detroit Central Station by Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Ford Executive Chairman, Bill Ford, Jr. Though not finalized, the plan envisions using Michigan Avenue and I-94 in Wayne and Washtenaw counties as the connectivity thoroughfare. It is anticipated that cars, public transportation and autonomous vehicles will share the road, but not necessarily the same lanes.
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... the 2021 Toyota Mirai set a Guinness World Record for distance without refueling? The 2021 Toyota Mirai fuel cell electric vehicle set a world record by traveling 845 miles on a single 5-minute complete fill of hydrogen! On it’s record setting tour in southern California, the vehicle logged a whopping 152 MPGe with water as it’s only emission!
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... Honda’s latest electric motorbike is a three-wheeled e-scooter with a roof? The Honda Gyro Canopy has a roof that is intended to keep its passenger and cargo somewhat protected from the rain when driven at speed. The scooter has a range of 48 miles (when driven at 18 mph) and uses removable, swappable batteries.
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