Throughout the year 2023, two of my friends and I designed a fully functional one-seater electric car. Although this project was highly ambitious and presented numerous challenges, through detailed planning, over 56 CAD drawings, persistent effort, and countless hours of hard work, we successfully achieved our goal of creating a fully functioning electric car. Every component of this car was meticulously designed and fabricated entirely by us. We began by creating prototypes, first with wood and duct tape models. I remember a 14-year-old me trying to fit into the handmade wooden car seat, and how the whole model came crashing down around me. We had to remake the entire chassis, only to realise that various dynamics were wrong. Hence we made improvements like using a space-frame chassis to create a stronger body. In addition to physical models, we also developed extensive CAD designs, which ultimately led to the final design. This iterative process involved rigorous research, experimentation, and practical implementation of our ideas. Following the completion of the design phase, we procured and organized all necessary materials. Sustainability was at the core of our approach; thus, over 78% of our vehicles' components consisted of reused materials. A trip to the junkyard, Chandni Chowk market, and Chawri Bazaar was a first-time experience and an eye-opener, revealing the treasures these small lanes of the old city could offer. We repurposed stainless steel rods, the car seat, the steering wheel, and the wheels from discarded cars and bike parts. The vehicle is genuinely our creation, with no reliance on pre-existing kits or manuals. Throughout this project, we acquired various essential skills, including welding, steering wheel assembly, circuit creation, and coding. Learning and directly applying these skills significantly enriched our project experience, enabling us to build the electric car entirely on our own.

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