The Wayne State University’s EcoCAR3 team is not only composed of engineering students and a faculty advisor, but also sponsors who contribute to their competition efforts.

For over 10 years, Raven Engineering Inc. has been a manufacturer of automotive drive shafts. Located 40 miles north of WSU, Raven is a Michigan-based company helping to improve the performance of Hybrid Warriors’ EcoCAR3 by providing the team with the proper size propeller shaft.

The main objective of the propeller shaft is to connect a vehicle’s transmission to its rear differential in order to transmit torque from the engine to the wheels. When the engine is on, it provides a rotating power that is transferred throughout the vehicle using components such as the propeller shaft to make the wheels spin.

“The power is taken from the engine to the transmission, then it needs to move to the wheels,” WSU project manager Ali Hussein said. “The prop shaft helps with this by rotating and connecting to the rear differential of the car.”

With Raven’s help, the Hybrid Warriors reduce the weight of their EcoCAR3’s by cutting the original propeller shaft to the appropriate length and re-welding it. By eliminating excess weight, WSU’s EcoCAR3 is able to accelerate quicker and transfer energy more efficiently.

AIRAID is another WSU sponsor working to increase the EcoCAR3’s performance. Based in California, AIRAID has focused on the automotive aftermarket industry with engine air intake systems for the last 10 years.

The air filter plays an important role to keep the engine’s components clear in order for a vehicle to run. AIRAID donated a filter and an engine air intake system kit to be integrated into Hybrid Warriors’ EcoCAR3. Hussein believes the donated engine air intake system will be an improvement over the team’s previous system.

“The cleaner the air and the more air we are able to provide to the engine, the better the performance,” Hussein said. “By using the AIRAID filter, we are able to achieve better performance from our engine while also creating a lot of packaging space in our engine bay.”

Hussein and his team appreciate the support and collaboration of Raven and AIRAID throughout the EcoCAR3 competition. With continued support from their sponsors, the Hybrid Warriors progress to create an environmentally friendly vehicle while maintaining power and high performance.