Projects
RideForward is a research and design group at the University of Virginia comprised of about 35 faculty and students, both graduate and undergraduate. Our focus is sustainable transportation. Our current projects include the conversion of conventional vehicles to electric drive (EVs), the construction of advanced solar powered EVs and charging stations, and the design waste vegetable oil-powered cars.
RideForward is the brainchild of Dr. James Durand (professor, UVA mechanical engineering), who oversees the program. Automotive design, construction, and many business and marketing decisions are conceived and implemented by students, often in conjunction with undergraduate engineering thesis projects.
Technical groups focus on drivetrain design, energy storage solutions, auxiliary designs, photovoltaic component design, and system integration. Our business group focuses on project management, marketing, public relations, funding, and policy research.
Every academic year, RideForward converts at least one used or discarded gas-powered vehicle to plug-in electric drive using currently available technology. The resulting EVs are used to assess performance and gather data for improved future designs.
