Human Powered Vehicle
HPV Team
Mechanical Engineering
Human Powered Vehicles (HPV) are aerodynamic, highly engineered vehicles that may be for use on land, in the water or the air. Some land-based HPV's have achieved speeds of over 60 mph. Every year, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers sponsors a national HPV competition in which the vehicles are judged on design, safety and performance. The ultimate goal of the contest is to find a design that can be used for everyday activities ranging from commuting to and from work to going to the grocery store. Senior engineering students can use this competition for their capstone project and with their efforts design and construct a fast, sleek, and safe vehicle capable of road use. Cal Poly has placed in the top four spots at the HPV Competition for both the sprints and the endurance race in four of the last five years. In 2005, Cal Poly’s Ron Layman clocked the fastest speed of the meet, 43.4 mph, while Karin Hanzi won the women’s sprints with a speed of 34.7 mph. Cal Poly also finished second in the 45 kilometers team endurance race.
Contact: Dr. Andrew Davol
Email: adavol@calpoly.edu