ELECTRA SAEINDIA Rule Book 2015

2015 SAEINDIA ELECTRA RULES

PART A – ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS

GENERAL

ABOUT THE RULES a) The Rules for SAEINDIA Electra 2015 events conducted in India are comprised of the Electra Official Rules 2015 Chapter I, hereinafter referred to as can be downloaded from the ‘For Participants’ section of the SAEINDIA website once available.

b) In this document functions and roles are defined as follows: i. ‘Organisers’ – the SAEINDIA ENGINEERING EDUCATION BOARD that organises the ELECTRA event in all persons acting on its behalf.

ii. ‘Team’ – group of individuals with a team name and one vehicle that has been accepted for entry to the ELECTRA competition.

iii. ‘Participant’ – member of a Team.

iv. ‘Team Captain’ – a Participant that has been appointed on the event registration document as single focal point for his/her team towards the Organisers.

v. ‘Technical Head’ – person appointed by the Organisers, who is responsible to manage and sanction all on-track Technical activities.

vi. ‘Track Marshall’ – person appointed by the Race Director to act on his/her behalf, in particular to ensure on track safety and observe on-track rule compliance.

vii. ‘Convener’ – person appointed by the Organisers, who is responsible to ensure the conduct of the Electra competition. Article 1: ELECTRA OVERVIEW AND COMPETITION

A1.1 Competition Objective:

The SAE India ELECTRA competition challenge teams of university undergraduate and graduate students to conceive, design, fabricate, develop and compete with 2 seater, urban style, four wheeled electric powered cars in a cross country rally event. The engineering event give teams the maximum design flexibility and the freedom to express their creativity and imaginations, however there are very few restrictions on the overall vehicle design.

A1.2 Vehicle Design Objectives

The teams are to assume that they work for a design firm that is designing, fabricating, testing and

demonstrating a prototype vehicle for a new and emerging market.

A1.2.1 The vehicle should have good performance in terms of range, acceleration, braking and handling and

be sufficiently durable to successfully complete all the events described in the ELECTRA competition

rules.

A1.2.2 Once the vehicle has been completed and tested, your design form will attempt to “sell” the design to a

“company” that is considering the production of an Electric vehicle.

A1.2.3 Each design will be judged and evaluated against other competing designs to determine the best overall

car.

A1.3 Good Engineering Practices

Vehicles entered to Electra competitions are expected to be designed and fabricated in accordance with

good engineering practices.

A1.4 Judging Categories

The cars are Judged in a series of static and dynamic events including technical inspection, cost,

marketing presentation and engineering design, range and endurance performance.

A1.4.1 Dynamic events are scored to determine the performance of the car.

The following points are possible:

Static Events :

Marketing Presentation 50

Engineering Design 250

Cost & Manufacturing 200

Dynamic Events:

Acceleration 125

Endurance 200

Manoeuvrability 125

Gradient climb 50

Article 2: ELECTRA COMPETITION 2015

A 2.1 Open Registration

Electra Competitions have open registration policies and accept registrations by student teams

representing universities duly recognised by UGC/AICTE which have a SAEINDIA Collegiate

Chapter/club.

A2.2 Official Announcement and competition Information

Teams are required to read and understand the published announcements by SAEINDIA on its website

from time to time during the period of conduct of the competition. www.saeindia.org

A2.3 Official Languages

The official language of the ELECTRA competition is English. Document submissions, presentations

and discussions in English are acceptable at all events in the competitions series.

Article 3: ELECTRA COMPETITION AND ORGANISER AUTHORITY

A 3.1 Rules Authority & Validity

The rules for the competition are issued under the authority of SAEINDIA Collegiate Design Series and

are valid for the calendar year of the competition.

Ambiguities or questions concerning the meaning or intent of these rules will be resolved by the Electra

Rules committee, SAEINDIA.

A 3.2 Rules compliance

By entering the Electra competition, the team, members of the team as individuals, faculty advisors and

the University agree to comply with and be bound by, these rules and all rule interpretations or

procedures issued or announced by SAEINDIA, the Electra rules committee and the other organising

bodies.

The Organisers reserve the right to rescind vehicle approval upon further or more detailed checks. The

Organisers must be notified of any modifications to the vehicle after inspection. Non-compliance with

this rule will lead to vehicle disqualification.

A 3.3 Participating in the competition

Teams, Team members as individuals, faculty advisors and other representatives of a registered

university who are present on-site at a competition are considered to be “participating in the

competition” from the time they arrive at the event site until they depart the site at the conclusion of the

competition or earlier by withdrawing.

A 3.4 Violations on Intent

The violation of intent of a rule will be considered a violation of the rule itself.

A 3.5 Right to Impound

SAEINDIA reserve the right to impound any onsite registered vehicles at any time during a competition

for inspection and examination by the organisers, officials and technical Inspectors.

A 3.6 General Authority

SAEINDIA and the competition organising body reserve the right to revise the schedule of any

competition and/or interpret or modify the competition rules at any time and in any manner that is, in

their sole judgement, required for the efficient operation of the Electra event.

A3.7 Restriction on Vehicle use

Teams are cautioned that the vehicle designed in compliance with the ELECTRA rules are intended for

competition operation only at the official ELECTRA competition.

Article 4: INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS

A4.1 Eligibility Limits

Eligibility is limited to undergraduate and graduate students to insure that this is an engineering design

competition.

A4.2 Student Status

Team members must be enrolled as degree seeking undergraduate or graduate students in the college

or university of the team with which they are participating. Team members who have graduated during

the seven month period prior to the competition remain eligible to participate.

A4.3 Society Membership

Team members must be members of at least one of the following societies: (1) SAEINDIA, (2) SAE

International, (3) SAE Australasia, (4) SAE Brazil, (5) JSAE, (6) TSAE. Proof of membership, such as

membership card, is required at the competition.

Note: Students can join SAEINDIA online at: www.saeindia.org.

A4.4 Age

Team members must be at least eighteen (18) years of age.

A4.5 Driver's License

Team members who will drive a competition vehicle at any time during a competition must hold a valid,

government issued driver's license.

A4.6 Liability Waiver

All on-site participants, including students, faculty and volunteers, are required to sign a liability waiver

upon registering on-site.

A4.7 Medical Insurance

Individual medical insurance coverage is required and is the sole responsibility of the participant.

Participants without a valid Medical Insurance will not be allowed to participate in the Dynamic Events.

A4.9 Onsite Registration Requirement

ONSITE REGISTRATON IS REQUIRED OF ALL TEAM MEMBERS AND FACULTY ADVISORS.

Bring your (1) Government issued driver's license or passport and (2) your medical insurance card

( Mandatory for Drivers) (3) College ID (4) SAEINDIA Membership Card, Approval Letter from College in

college letter Head and documentation to onsite registration.

Article 5: FACULTY ADVISOR

A5.1 Faculty Advisor

A5.1.1 Each team is expected to have a Faculty Advisor appointed by the university. It is mandatory for the

Faculty Advisor to accompany the team to the competition and will be considered by competition

officials to be the official university representative. Failure to abide by this rule may deny participation of

the team in Dynamic Events.

A5.1.2 Faculty Advisors may advise their teams on Fundamental principles, basic engineering skills and

engineering project management theory.

Article 6: VEHICLE ELIGIBILITY

A6.1 Student Developed Vehicle

Vehicles entered into ELECTRA competitions must be conceived, designed, fabricated and maintained

by the student team members without direct involvement from professional engineers, automotive

engineers, machinists or related professionals.

A6.2 Information Sources

The student team may use any literature or knowledge related to car design and information from

professionals or from academics as long as the information is given as a discussion of alternatives with

their pros and cons.

A6.3 Professional Assistance

Professionals may not make design decisions or drawings and the Faculty Advisor may be required to

sign a statement of compliance with this restriction.

A6.4 Student Fabrication

It is the intent of the SAEINDIA Collegiate Design Series competition is to provide direct hands-on

experience to the students. Therefore, students should perform all fabrication tasks.

The Fabrication should be done on-campus using in-house facilities of college / university. All works

done outside the Campus need to be informed to the ELECTRA organising Committee and prior

approval acquired for the same.

A6.5 ELECTRA Competition Year - First Year Cars

For the purpose of defining first, second and third year cars, a competition "year" is any consecutive run

of the Series, i.e. For example, a car that competes first time in ELECTRA 2015 is classified as a "first

year car" until the following year's ELECTRA 2015 roughly 12 month period counting from the event in

which a vehicle first competes in a competition.

Note: Teams are reminded that their vehicles must comply with the rules in effect for each competition

they enter.

A6.6 First year Vehicles - ELECTRA 2015 Competition Year

A6.6.1 First Year Vehicles may enter the ELECTRA 2015 EVENT. One vehicle built can participate in 3

successive events and will have different judging criteria.

A6.6.2 To be classified as a "first year vehicle" a car must, as a minimum, have a completely new frame.

Photographic or other evidence will be used to determine if the frame is new.

A6.6.3 If there is any question about whether or not the car is in fact a first year vehicle, it will be the sole

responsibility of the team to produce such evidence as the organizers or judges may require.

A6.6.4 Second and third year judgement criterion will be indicated in the ELECTRA subsequent edition rule

books

Article 7: REGISTRATION

A7.1 Registration - ELECTRA Competitions

Registration for ELECTRA competitions held in 2015 must be completed on-line. Online registration

must be done by either (a) an SAEINDIA member or (b) the official faculty advisor connected with the

registering university and recorded as such in the SAEINDIA record system.

Note: It typically takes at least 5 working Days between the time you complete an on-line SAEINDIA

membership application and our system recognizes you as eligible to register your team.

A7.2 Entries per University – ELECTRA 2015 Competitions - Registering Teams

For the purposes of registering and competing, a Universities team are considered to be separate and

independent entities if they are from a different campus. A university may register as many teams in the

same competition; however only one team per university campus will be selected for the final event

based on their performance and university recommendation.

A7.3 Registration Limits - ELECTRA Competitions

Registration limits for the ELECTRA 2015 competitions will be posted on the SAEINDIA website.

Registration for each ELECTRA competitions closes as soon as the registration limit is reached. We

strongly advise teams to register as soon as registration opens. (First come First Serve Basis)

A7.4 Registration Dates - ELECTRA Competitions

Registration for the ELECTRA competitions will close at the date and time posted on the competition

website or when all the registration slots have been taken, whichever occurs first.

There are no exceptions to this registration policy.

A7.6 Registration Fees

A7.6.1 Registration fees must be paid to the organizer by the deadlines specified on the respective

competition website.

A7.6.2 Registration fees are not refundable and may not be transferred to a subsequent year's competition.

A7.7 Withdrawals

A7.7.1 Registered teams that find that they will not be able to attend the competition are requested to officially

withdraw by notifying the following no later than one (2) Months before the event:

A7.7.2 ELECTRA Event withdrawals: Mr. Bibhu kumar, Mail ID: cdsevents@saeindia.org

A7.10 On-site Registration

All team members and faculty advisors must complete the on-site registration procedures immediately

after they arrive at the competition site.

On-site registration must be completed and the credentials and/or other identification issued by the

organizers properly worn before the car can be unloaded uncrated or worked upon in any manner.

Article 8: VEHICLE DOCUMENTATION, DEADLINES AND PENALTIES

A8.1 Required Documents and Required Forms

A8.1.1 "Business Logic Plan" - Use required form located at www.saeindia.org.

A8.1.2 "Cost Report" - Report must comply with the Cost Event Rules. Both an electronic version and a hard

copy version are required.

A8.1.3 "Design Report" - Report must comply with the Design Event Rules - Electronic version and hard copy

version is required.

A8.1.4 "Design Spec Sheet" - Use required form located at www.saeindia.org.Program Submissions - Material

required for programs is specific to each competition. Check the website(s) of the competition(s) your

team has entered for requirements.

A8.2 Deadlines

Volunteer judges evaluate all the required submissions and it is essential that they have enough time to

complete their work. There are no exceptions to the document submission deadlines and late

submissions will incur penalties. Please note that different documents or submissions may have

different deadlines - check the event website.

A8.3 Submission Addresses and Formats

The procedures for submitting documents and the website and/or addresses to which the various

documents should be sent are published on the individual event websites or otherwise released by the

organizers. Most required documents must be submitted in a format specified in the individual event

rules or using a prescribed form. Failure to submit a document in the proper format, or with an incorrect

file name, will be considered as "Not Submitted."

Carefully read the event rules and check the website of the competition you are entering.

Notice - Teams will not be notified if a document is submitted incorrectly. Each team is responsible for

confirming that its documents have been properly uploaded and that the deadlines have been met.

Email confirmations to teams are not sent

A8.4 Late Submission Penalties

Documents received /uploaded after the deadline will be penalized negative ten (-10) points per day, or

partial day, late with the following penalty caps and exclusions:

A8.1.1 "Business Logic Plan" - The penalty for late submission of the BLP is capped at negative fifty (-50)

points.

A8.1.2 "Late Submission of Cost Report" - For the first 15 days after the deadline submission penalties for late

Cost Reports are capped at negative eighty (-80) points. After the first 15 days a late Cost Report is

classified as "Not Submitted". Cost Reports that are not submitted will receive negative one hundred (-

100) points and may not participate in the Cost Event.

A8.1.3 "Penalty for Late Submission or Non-submission" - The Design Report and Design Spec Sheet

collectively constitute the "Design Documents". Late submission or failure to submit all, or any one, of

the Design Documents will be penalized at the standard negative ten (-10) points per day to a maximum

of negative one hundred (-100) points. If your Design Documents are received more than ten (10) days

late they will be classified as "Not Submitted" and your team will not participate in the Design Event and

will receive zero (0) points for design.

Transfer of Team Captain Responsibility - Important

If your captain is leaving the team, through graduation or otherwise, it is important that the departing

captain "pass the baton" by designating one to the Electra SAEINDIA coordinator and will be displayed

in the website. No new members can be added after the registration.

Article 9: PROTESTS & PENALTIES

A9.1 It is recognized that thousands of hours of work have gone into fielding a vehicle and that teams are

entitled to all the points they can earn. We also recognize that there can be differences in the

interpretation of rules, the application of penalties and the understanding of procedures. The officials

and SAEINDIA staff will make every effort to fully review all questions and resolve problems and

discrepancies quickly and equitably

A9.2 Preliminary Review - Required

If a team has a question about scoring, judging, policies or any official action it must be brought to the

organizers or SAEINDIA staff’s attention for an informal preliminary review before a protest can be filed.

A9.3 Cause for Protest

A team may protest any rule interpretation, score or official action (unless specifically excluded from

protest) which they feel has caused some actual, non-trivial, harm to their team, or has had a

substantive effect on their score. Teams may not protest rule interpretations or actions that have not

caused them any substantive damage.

A9.4 Protest Format and Forfeit

All protests must be filed in writing and presented to the organizer or SAEINDIA staff by the team

captain. In order to have a protest considered, a team must post a twenty-five (25) point protest bond

which will be forfeited if their protest is rejected.

A9.5 Protest Period

Depending on the nature protests must be lodged within the following times:

a) Vehicles: before track closure on the current day

b) Team and Driver behaviour: within 30 minutes following the end of the attempt.

c) Results: within 1 hour after the result of an attempt has been posted.

A9.6 Decision

The decision of the competition protest committee regarding any protest is final.

A9.7 Penalties

a) Non-compliance with the driving rules will result in a formal warning, invalidation of the best overall

attempt or disqualification of the Team, depending on the severity of the breach.

b) The Organisers will exclude, disqualify or otherwise penalise any Participant who, in the judgement of

the Technical Head, has gained an unfair advantage as a result of any breach of the Official Rules,

hindrance of other Participants, departure from the normal course, or any act or omission capable of

misrepresenting performance.

ARTICLE 10: DRIVING KNOWLEDGE AND TEST

a) Only the registered Driver and the Reserve Driver will be authorised to drive the vehicle.

b) Drivers may be questioned about their knowledge of the driving rules during inspection. The

Organisers reserve the right to deny track access to Drivers with insufficient knowledge of the Rules.

c) Driving on-track: In the interest of safety it is important that Drivers learn and apply smooth and

predictable driving techniques, e.g. thinking well ahead, avoiding sudden directional changes, and being

fully aware of other vehicles around them.

d) The attendance of the daily Drivers’ Briefing is mandatory for the Team captain and all registered

Drivers every day. Failure in attending these Briefings by the Team Captain and Drivers will disqualify

the team from practicing and/or competing that day.

e) At no time on the race track are drivers allowed to push their vehicle or have it pushed, including to

start the run or to cross the finish line. It is forbidden to drive in reverse gear or to drive against the race

direction.

f) Drivers are required to give clear passage for other vehicles wishing to overtake. Drivers in overtaking

vehicles must sound their horn and pass with caution. The Driver of the overtaking vehicle is

responsible for the safety of the manoeuvre. Drivers of the vehicles being overtaken must use their

mirrors and must not change course suddenly. On the track, overtaking is authorised on both the right

and the left, as long as the above-mentioned safety rules are followed.

ARTICLE 11: QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ELECTRA RULES A10.1 Question Publication

By submitting a question to the ELECTRA Rules Committee or the competition's organizing body you

and your team agree that both your question and the official answer can be reproduced and distributed

by SAEINDIA, in both complete and edited versions, in any medium or format anywhere in the world.

A10.2 Question Types

The Committee will answer questions that are not already answered in the rules or FAQs or that require

new or novel rule interpretations. The Committee will not respond to questions that are already

answered in the rules. For example, if a rule specifies a minimum dimension for a part the Committee

will not answer questions asking if a smaller dimension can be used.

A10.4 Question Format

A10.4.1 All rules questions must include (1) the full name and email address of the student submitting the

question, (2) the name of the university - no abbreviations, (3) the number of the applicable rule and (4)

the specific competition your team has, or is planning to, enter.

A10.4.2 The following limits apply to questions submitted to the ELECTRA Rules Committee (1) No photograph,

drawing or other attachment may exceed 500 KB in size (2) the total size of any question, with all

attachments, must not exceed 2 MB.

A10.5 Response Time

A10.5.1 Please allow a minimum of two (2) weeks for a response. The Rules Committee will respond as quickly

as possible, however responses to questions presenting new issues, or of unusual complexity, may take

more than two weeks. Please do not resend questions.

SAE TECHNICAL STANDARDS The SAEINDIA has made the following SAE Technical Standards available on line, at no cost, for use by

Collegiate Design teams. Standards are important in all areas of engineering and we urge you to review these

documents and to become familiar will their contents and use.

All Collegiate Design Series teams registered for competition have access to all the standards listed below - including standards not specific to your competition. J429 - Mechanical and Material Requirements for Externally Threaded Fasteners

J452 - General Information - Chemical Compositions, Mechanical and Physical Properties of SAE Aluminum

Casting Alloys - Information Report

J512 - Automotive Tube Fittings - Standard J517 - Hydraulic Hose - Standard

J1153 - Hydraulic Cylinders for Motor Vehicle Brakes - Test Procedure J1154 - Hydraulic Master Cylinders for

Motor Vehicle Brakes - Performance Requirements - Standard J1703 - Motor Vehicle Brake Fluid - Standard

J2045 - Performance Requirements for Fuel System Tubing Assemblies - Standard

J2053 - Brake Master Cylinder Plastic Reservoir Assembly for Road Vehicles – Standard

Standard Relevant to all CDS Competitions J1739 - Potential Failure Mode and Effects Analysis in Design

(Design FMEA) Potential Failure Mode and Effects Analysis in Manufacturing and Assembly Processes (Process

FMEA) and Potential Failure Mode and Effects Analysis for Machinery (Machinery FMEA)

PART T - GENERAL TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

ARTICLE T1: VEHICLE GENERAL DESIGN REQUIREMENTS

a) During vehicle design, construction and competition planning, participating teams must pay particular

attention to all aspects of safety, i.e. driver safety, the safety of other team members and spectator

safety.

b) All vehicles must have exactly four wheels, which under normal running conditions must be all in

continuous contact with the road. A fifth wheel for any purpose is forbidden.

c) Aerodynamic appendages, which adjust or are prone to changing shape due to wind whilst the

vehicle is in motion, are forbidden.

d) Vehicle bodies must not be prone to changing shape due to wind and must not include any external

appendages that might be dangerous to other Team members; e.g. pointed part of the vehicle body.

Any sharp points must have a radius of 5 cm or greater, alternatively they should be made of foam or

similar deformable material.

e) The vehicle interior must not contain any objects that might injure the driver during a collision.

f) Windows must not be made of any material which may shatter into sharp shards. Recommended

material: Polycarbonate (e.g. Lexan)

g) Any cover of the energy compartment (motor/transmission/battery, etc.) should be easy to open for

quick inspection access.

h) All parts of the drive train, including traction motor, battery, electrical system components, etc. must

be within the confines of the body cover.

i) All objects in the vehicle must be securely mounted, e.g. bungee cords or other elastic material are

not permitted for securing heavy objects like batteries.

j) All vehicles must have a solid floor and frame that prevents any part of the driver’s body from

contacting the ground.

k) The body must cover all mechanical parts whether the vehicle is viewed from the front, the rear, the

sides or from above. However, the wheels and suspension must be fully covered by the body when

seen from above and up to the axle centre line when seen from front or rear. The covering for the

wheels and suspension must be a rigid integral part of the vehicle body.

l) Access to the vehicle by the driver must be as easy and practical as typically found in common

production type passenger cars. The door opening must be safe for the driver and passenger to ingress

and egress.

m) Any access opening mechanisms (e.g. doors) must be firmly attached to the vehicle body (e.g. by

means of hinges, sliding rails, etc.). Adhesive tape, Velcro, etc. are not permitted for this purpose.

n) The vehicle must have a roof covering the driver’s compartment.

o) A windscreen with effective wiper (s) is mandatory.

p) A towing hook or ring with a minimum opening of 6 cm is mandatory on the front of the vehicle, under

the body and easily accessible, so that it can be towed with a cable by another vehicle. This hook or

ring must resist a traction force of 3,500 N (~350 kg).

q) Front and rear impact bumpers are compulsory.

r) Maximum speed in the reverse direction should be set < 20kmph

s) Clearance of the vehicle from the ground should be such that water does not enter into the vehicle

while driving through humps.

ARTICLE T2: CHASSIS/MONOCOQUE SOLIDITY

a) Teams must ensure that the vehicle chassis or monocoque is designed wide and long enough to

effectively protect the driver’s body in the case of collisions or rollovers. The organizers will exclude any

vehicle whose construction is deemed to be dangerous.

A monocoque is a construction that supports structural load by using an object's external skin as

opposed to using a frame.

b) The vehicle chassis must be equipped with an effective roll bar that extends 5 cm around the driver’s

helmet when seated in normal driving position with the safety belts fastened.

If this position impairs the driver visibility it will be deemed that the roll bar is not adequate. The

effectiveness of the roll bar and driver’s visibility will be validated simultaneously, i.e. the driver must not

be in such position that he or she must raise their head or torso above the roll bar to pass the visibility

test.

c) This roll bar must extend in width beyond the driver’s shoulders when seated in normal driving

position with the safety belts fastened.

It is permissible to either use a tubular or panel type roll bar. If a ‘tubular roll bar’ is used, it must be

made of metal. A panel roll bar is the rigid partition separating the cockpit from the engine compartment.

Such a panel roll bar must be an integral part of the vehicle chassis or integrated in a monocoque.

d) Any roll bar must be capable of withstanding a static load of 700 N (~ 70 kg) applied in a vertical,

horizontal or perpendicular direction, without deforming (i.e. in any direction).

e) Vehicle must have a push bar which should be capable of push and pull the vehicle

f) There must be two jack points in the vehicle, one in the front and other in the rear end.

g) Teams are free to use any material of AISI or ASTM standard fabricating the chassis, but it should full

fill the safety requirement. For body works teams can prefer glass fibre, carbon fibre, GI sheet, or any

other material which is water resistant.

h) Use of Lock Nuts (nylon nuts) is compulsory in Wheels, Motor mounting, Suspension system, and

Steering system in the vehicle.

ARTICLE T3: PROPULSION AND ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM ISOLATION

a) A permanent bulkhead must completely separate the vehicle’s propulsion and energy storage

systems from the driver’s compartment.

This means batteries, Super Capacitors, etc. must be placed outside the driver’s compartment behind

the bulk head. Any gaps and holes between the body and the bulk head is to be avoided. It is

recommended to seal gaps with materials such as metal / aluminium sheet.

b) This bulkhead must be of fire retardant material and construction.

e) The bulkhead must prevent manual access to the energy compartment by the driver.

f) If holes are made in the bulkhead to pass through wires, cables, etc. it is essential that the wires /

cables are protected by a grommet or similar protective material to prevent chafing or damage. All

gaps/holes must also be filled.

ARTICLE T4 : VISIBILITY

a) The Driver must have access to a direct arc of visibility ahead and to 90° on each side of the

longitudinal axis of the vehicle. This field of vision must be achieved without aid of any optical (or

electronic) devices such as mirrors, prisms, periscopes, etc. Movement of the driver’s head within the

confines of the vehicle body to achieve a complete arc of vision is allowed.

The driver’s helmet must be 5 cm below the roll bar at all times.

b) The vehicle must be equipped with a rear-view mirror on each side of the vehicle, each with a

minimum surface area of 25 cm² (e.g. 5 cm x 5 cm). The visibility provided by these mirrors, and their

proper attachment, will be subject to inspection. An electronic device must not replace a rear-view

mirror.

c) In technical inspection visibility will be checked in order to assess on-track safety by using 60 cm high

poles spread out every 30° in a half-circle, with a 4 m radius in front of the vehicle.

d) For all vehicles, wet weather visibility is also mandatory

ARTICLE T5 : SAFETY BELTS

a) The driver’s seat must be fitted with an effective safety harness having at least five mounting points

to maintain the Driver securely in his/her seat. The mounting points should be fitted so that the belts will

self align with the direction of the load.

b) The safety harness must prevent any upward or forward motion of the driver’s torso. Any slack in the

harness must be adjusted by using the seat belt length adjuster. The adjustor must be located as close

as possible to the connection point. The crotch strap mounting point should be behind the chest line and

the topmost straps should be at an angle of at least 10° below the shoulder line.

c) The safety harness must be worn and fastened at all times to prevent the driver from having any free

movement when the vehicle is in motion.

d) The fitness for purpose of the harness and its fitting will be evaluated during technical inspection.

This will be done by raising the vehicle with the Driver on board using the safety harness buckle as the

lifting point, this must be capable of withstanding 1.5 times the Driver’s weight.

e) The vehicle safety harness must be specifically manufactured for motorsport use (e.g. certified or

compliant with FIA standards).

ARTICLE T6 : VEHICLE ACCESS

a) It is imperative for drivers, fully harnessed, to be able to vacate their vehicles at any time without

assistance in less than 10 seconds.

b) For all vehicles, the opening release mechanism must be easily and intuitively operable from the

inside and the outside of the vehicle. The method of opening from the outside must be clearly marked

by a red arrow and must not require any tools.

c) It is forbidden to use adhesive tape to securely close the driver’s opening from the outside.

ARTICLE T7 : HORN

a) Each vehicle must be equipped with an electric horn mounted towards the front of the vehicle, in such

a manner that is effectively audible to other vehicles and track marshals. With the vehicle in normal

running condition, it must emit a sound greater than 85 dBA when measured 4 meters horizontally from

the vehicle.

b) The horn must have a high tone (pitch) of equal or greater than 420 Hz.

ARTICLE T8 : ON-BOARD FIRE EXTINGUISHER

a) Each vehicle must be fitted with a fire extinguisher (ABC or BC type – CO2 or dry powder). Water

extinguishers (A type) should not be used. All drivers must be trained in the use of the fire extinguisher.

This extinguisher must have a minimum extinguishing capacity of 1 kg; equivalent size extinguishers are

not permitted. It must be full and have a certificate of validity bearing the manufacturer's number and the

date of manufacture or expiry.

b) Plumbed-in extinguishers may be located in the engine compartment and must discharge into the

engine compartment. Triggering systems must be located within the cockpit and be operable by the

Driver in his/her normal driving position.

c) Hand held extinguishers must be located within the cockpit and be accessible to the driver once they

have vacated the vehicle. These should be securely mounted to prevent movement while

driving/braking. In the event of a fire, drivers should first exit the vehicle and then if possible, remove the

extinguisher and attempt to extinguish the fire if safe to do so.

d) The on-board fire extinguisher does not replace the need for an adequate fire extinguisher for the

team’s garage area.

ARTICLE T9 : DRIVER POSITION

For safety reasons, the head-first driving position is prohibited. The driver position should be such that

the helmet is 5 cm below the roll bar AND that the visibility for the driver is unimpaired at the same

ARTICLE T10 : TRANSMISSION COVERING

The installation of effective transmission chain or belt guard(s) is mandatory. This is required to protect

driver or technician when working on the car in the event of the chain or belt breaking. It must be made

of metal or composite material rigid enough to withstand a break.

ARTICLE T11 : SOUND LEVEL & EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN

The sound level of the vehicle must not exceed 90 dBA when measured 4 metres away from the

vehicle. Maximum sound levels will be measured and recorded at the start line and teams exceeding

the permissible level will be notified with a request for correction within a reasonable timeframe.

The emergency shutdown mechanism must provide a physical isolation of the propulsion battery from

the vehicle electrical system. If relays are used, the relays must be a normally open contact type. It is

not necessary to isolate the accessory battery.

There must be both an internal and an external shutdown mechanism.

i. The internal emergency shutdown mechanism is for driver operation and can be designed in

any effective way.

ii. The external emergency shutdown mechanism must be at the rear of the vehicle and

permanently installed on a non-detachable part of the bodywork.

iii. A red arrow (on a white background) at least 10 cm long and 3 cm wide at the widest point

must be positioned on the vehicle body to indicate clearly the exterior position of the

emergency shutdown actuator.

A latching red push button type, external emergency shutdown mechanisms should be used.

ARTICLE T12 : VEHICLE BUILDING

DIMENSION

a) The total body width, excluding rear view mirrors, must be between 120 cm and 130 cm.

b) The total vehicle length must be between 220 cm and 350 cm.

c) The wheelbase must be at least 100 cm.

d) The ground clearance must be sufficient to tackle normal road condition.

ARTICLE T13 : TURNING RADIUS AND STEERING

a) Vehicle steering must be achieved by one system operated with both hands using a turning motion. It

must be precise, with no excessive play.

b) Steering must be achieved using a steering wheel only.

c) Steering bars, tillers, joysticks, indirect or electric systems are not permitted.

d) The turning radius must be less than 6 m. The turning radius is the distance between the centre of

the circle and the external wheel of the vehicle. The external wheel of the vehicle must be able to follow

a 90° arc of 6 m radius in both directions.

e) A vehicle handling course may be set up in order to verify the following when the vehicle is in motion:

driver skills, turning radius and steering precision. In particular, Inspectors will verify that steering is

precise, with no excessive play.

f) At any point of time, the steering wheel should be able to control atleast two wheels simultaneously

ARTICLE T14 : WHEELS

The wheels located inside the vehicle body must be made inaccessible to the driver by a bulkhead. Any

handling or manipulation of the wheels is forbidden from the moment the vehicle arrives at the starting

line until it crosses the finish line.

ARTICLE T15 : TYRES

The choice of tyres is free as long as they are fitted on the type and size of rims recommended by their

manufacturers and have a minimum tread of 1.6 mm. The tyre/rim assembly must have a minimum

width of 80 mm, measured from sidewall to sidewall. The width is measured with the tyre fitted on its rim

at its rated pressure.

Caution: the manufacturer’s size indications should not be taken as measure, as the width of the rim

directly impacts the width of the rim/tyre assembly.

ARTICLE T16 : SUSPENSION

Teams may or may not use suspension system in their vehicle depending on their choice, but if any

team wishes to use the suspension system, it must be used in all four wheels and a total travel of at

least 2 inches must be there. That is 1 inch of jounce and 1 inch of bounce.

ARTICLE T17 : LIGHTING

The vehicle must have a functional external lighting system, including:

a)Two front headlights

b) Two front turn indicators

c) Two rear turn indicators

d) Two red brake lights in the rear

e) Two red rear lights (may be combined with the brake lights)

f) The centre of each headlight unit must be located at an equal distance and at least 30 cm from the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

ARTICLE T18 : BRAKING

a) The vehicle must be equipped with a four-disc hydraulic brake system, with a brake pedal, which has

a minimum surface area of 25 cm².

b) The brakes must operate independently on the front and rear axles or in an X pattern (i.e. right front

wheel with left rear wheel, and left front wheel with right rear wheel).

c) A single master cylinder may be used, provided that it has a dual circuit (two pistons and dual tank)

d) The effectiveness of the braking system will be tested during vehicle inspection for both drivers.

The vehicle must remain immobile with the Driver inside when it is placed on a 20 percent incline with

the main brake in place. Moreover, a dynamic inspection may be performed on the vehicle-handling

course.

e) A parking brake function is required in order to keep the car stationary during technical inspections

and fuel measurements. It must provide a brake force of at least 50 N.

f) Wet weather capability is mandatory

ARTICLE T19 : WET WEATHER RUNNING

a) During weather conditions of light rain/drizzle, the (only) may be required to drive on the track during

competition with approval from the Race Director. Therefore, all vehicles must be adequate for running

under such conditions.

b) The vehicle must be equipped with an effective electric windscreen wiper arm assembly typically

found in a production car.

c) The operation of the wiper assembly must be activated by an independent switch easily accessible to

the driver.

d) The wiper operation must provide the driver a clear view.

e) The vehicle must be adequately ventilated to prevent driver’s compartment from fogging.

f) The vehicle’s electrical system must be suitable for wet weather conditions (e.g. will not malfunction

during wet conditions).

g) Tyres must have a minimum tread of 1.6 mm

h) The vehicle’s brake effectiveness may be re-inspected before and/or after any run.

i) The effectiveness of the vehicle to run in wet conditions will be evaluated during the initial inspection

phase.

ARTICLE T20 : VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS

a) For safety reasons, the maximum voltage on board of any vehicle at any point must not exceed 48

Volts nominal and 60 Volts max (this includes on-board batteries, external batteries, Super Capacitors).

b) The electrical system is to have a propulsion battery and an accessory battery.

c) If Lithium-Ion based batteries are used, Battery Management Systems (BMS) tailored to this

chemistry must be installed to control and protect the battery against risk of fire.

d) Temperature rise test – Temperature rise at all the High voltage terminals like motor, controller,

Battery, contactor to be tested and temperature should not go beyond 85 deg C during driving.

e) Creepage and clearance distance between all the terminals of the components should be minimum

3mm

f) All the connectors should have positive locking to avoid wrong connection.

g) All the HV & LV terminals should be checked for terminal tightening torque. HV cables Mid joints are

not allowed

h) There should be standard safety marking for all high voltage areas in the vehicle

i) There should be no overlapping of the HV cables over each other. During continuous operation,

temperature of the cables may rise and lead to chances of short circuit.

j) Wiring harness should not be clustered and clumsy at a particular area. Proper design optimization &

layout design should be available

k) All the fuses in the vehicle should be verified for their operation during short circuit.

l) Charge drive interlock should be provided during charging. Key should not come on and no movement

of the vehicle should be possible during charging.

m) Brake over riding requirements to be checked. Also the firm connections of the accelerator and

brake potentiometer to be checked to avoid unintended acceleration during driving.

n) No jerks should be observed during acceleration, braking and intermittent operation of acceleration

and brake. Indication should be given if parking brake is not engaged before egression.

o) All the plastic enclosures which are being used for the vehicle should be fire retardant (Fire should

not propagate)

p) Battery should be automatically disconnected in case of accidents. Electrical components exposed to

under body (below the vehicle platform) not be allowed as they may touch the ground while driving

through humps

q) Follow IS 1293 requirements for charging. Also it is necessary to incorporate 16A MCB and ELCB in

the charging system.

r) RCD should be implemented in charge cable to earth leakage, earth missing, short circuit, reverse

polarity etc, while charging.

s) Electrical components that are being used in vehicle should have its own thermal protection.

t) LV cables mid joints are allowed with proper soldered joints with heat sink tube covered over that. Fire

retardant protective caps for HV terminals are mandatory.

u) All batteries must be short circuit protected. Protection may be in the form of a fuse, fusible link, or a

current interrupting device (circuit breaker). Automatic reclosing current interrupting devices are not

allowed. Short circuit protection devices must be located on the positive conductor and as close as

possible to the battery or Super Capacitor itself.

v) All vehicle electrical circuits must be protected against electrical overload. Overload protection may

be in the form of fixed current limits within electric controllers or by the insertion of individual circuit

fuses.

w) The accessory battery must maintain a negative ground.

x) For safety reasons, the propulsion battery or Super Capacitors, both positive and negative circuits

must be electrically isolated from the vehicle frame and the accessory battery circuit.

y) The capacity of the accessory battery must be sufficient to power all the accessory loads with

sufficient safety margin which will be verified during inspection. The accessory battery is not allowed for

propulsion related controllers in E-mobility vehicles.

z) The Organisers reserve the right to request Teams to install one joulemeter, intended to measure the

quantity of energy provided by the accessory battery. If this amount of energy exceeds the power

typically required to operate the horn and safety devices the competitor will be disqualified.

aa) Both propulsion and accessory batteries must be installed outside of the driver’s compartment

behind a bulk head. The following devices may be powered by batteries other than the propulsion or

accessory battery provided they use built-in batteries: radio communication system, GPS system, data

loggers excluding engine management units, driver ventilators.

ab) All electrical/electronic enclosures built and populated by the teams must be made of transparent

material or at least have a transparent cover to allow the technical inspectors to view the contents.

ac) The drive train in the ‘Battery Electric’ category is restricted to a maximum of one electric storage

device, and up to two electric motors, with associated control units. The electric motors may be

purchased, purchased-and-modified, or purpose-built. Motor controllers built from sub-components such

as single-board computers, power stages, etc. are encouraged.

ad) Any electric storage device may be used.

ae) The maximum amperage of the accessory battery should not exceed 100Ah

af) Vehicle should meet High Voltage test requirement. 1KV for 1 min OR Insulation Resistance test

should be done at the vehicle level with 55V for 1 min and resistance must be more than 10Mohm.

ag) There should be provisions in terms of access points which would facilitate the technical inspectors

to check the important electrical systems and components.

ARTICLE T21 : KILL SWITCH

(A) Cockpit Switch – The cockpit switch must be located in the front of the cockpit within easy reach of

the driver with the safety harness tight. The switch may not be mounted on a removable steering wheel

assembly.

B) External Switch – The external switch must be mounted on the driver’s right side of the vehicle, on a

panel generally perpendicular, the switch must be mounted rigidly, with no sharp edges nearby. It must

not be necessary to reach inside the roll cage to actuate the switch.

ARTICLE T22 : TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION

a) Competitors must provide the Organisers with a precise technical description of the vehicle’s energy

storage system and electrical circuitry. This documentation serves only to verify that the teams have an

understanding of the Rules. Admission to the competition in no way constitutes a pre-approval for the

Technical Inspection phase. Final technical approval is only granted at the event.

b) Technical Documentation – prior to event. – Deadlines will be indicated in the SAEINDIA Website

i. Competitors must provide, through the online submittal process, documentation on the energy

storage system, power-train and vehicle electrical system.

ii. For all vehicles, the electrical systems documentation may be in form of one or more block

diagrams/electrical circuit diagram containing the following:

1.Point to point vehicle wiring diagram showing the location of all major relevant electrical

components of the system, such as batteries, Super Capacitors, fuses/circuit protectors, lights,

horn, joule meter etc.

2. Component voltage, current, and power ratings of major components.

3. Locations and ratings of all circuit protection devices.

4. Illustration of how the emergency stop system works, and presence of both external and

internal emergency switches in the electrical circuit. Separate sheet may be used to illustrate if

necessary.

5. A description of any batteries or Super Capacitors being used in the system, including type,

rated voltage, max charge voltage and capacity in amp-hours or capacitance.

c) Technical Documentation – at event (to be reviewed during Technical Inspection)

i. Competitors must have available for inspection with the vehicle, a printed copy of the latest

version of the documents submitted above and the additional documentation as defined below.

Accessing the information on-line via the internet during inspection is not allowed. No

documentation = No inspection

ii. For all vehicles, if a Lithium-Ion battery is used as accessory battery, printed/written

documentation on the BMS operation must be provided. Accessing the information on-line via

the internet during technical inspection is not allowed. The requirement for BMS system

operation data is independent of whether the BMS is integrated into a purchased battery, part

of the charger or special built.

The BMS data MUST include:

1. Cell over-voltage protection limits.

2. Operation of cell balancing (how and when)

3. Battery operation when over-voltage limits are reached. (i.e. what will the BMS/Battery do

when these limits are reached )

iii. For vehicles printed/written documentation on the BMS operation must be provided.

Accessing the information on-line via the internet during technical inspection is not allowed.

(Note, the requirement for BMS system operation data is independent of whether the BMS is

integrated into a purchased battery or special built.)

The BMS data MUST include:

1. Cell over-voltage and under-voltage protection limits

2. Battery over-current limit

3. Operation of cell balancing (how and when)

4. Battery over-temperature limit

5. The technical documentation must also include information about how the BMS will

protect the battery when an over-voltage, under-voltage, over-current or over-

temperature condition is reached, i.e. how will the BMS isolate the battery when these

limits are reached.

ARTICLE T23: VEHICLE REQUIREMENTS & RESTRICTIONS

T23.1 Technical Inspection The following requirements and restrictions will be enforced through technical

inspection. Non-compliance must be corrected and the car re-inspected before the car is allowed to operate.

T23.2 Modifications and Repairs

T23.2.1 Once the vehicle has been presented for judging in the Cost or Design Events or submitted for Technical

Inspection, and until the vehicle is approved to compete in the dynamic events, i.e. all the three inspection

stickers are awarded, the only modifications permitted to the vehicle are those directed by the Inspector(s) and

noted on the Inspection Form.

T23.3 Breakdowns and other incidents

a) Intentional stopping on the track is forbidden.

b) The Driver is allowed 30 seconds to attempt to re-start the vehicle from within its driving position.

c) If a vehicle breaks down or is involved in a minor disabling accident on the track, the Driver must

immediately make every attempt to drive the vehicle to the side of the track and wait in the vehicle for

the Marshalls to arrive.

d) In an emergency, the Driver must get out of the car and wait in a safe place off the track for the Track

Marshals to arrive and recover him/her and the vehicle.

e) It is forbidden to carry out repairs on the track. In the event of a flat tyre, even when near the starting

line, a new start will not be granted for the attempt in question.

T23.4 Helmets

a) For practice and competition, Drivers must wear Motorcycle or Motorsport style helmets that comply

with the safety standards specified. Helmet labels must be clearly readable. Helmets worn by the Driver

and Reserve Driver will be subject to inspection.

b) Only full-face or three quarter helmets are permitted. Generally, the full-face and three quarter style

helmets can be affixed with face shields which are highly recommended. If a face shield is not utilised,

safety goggles are required. The helmets must correctly fit the Drivers; otherwise they will not be

approved for the event.

T23.5 Driver Clothing

a) All Drivers must wear a racing suit as the outermost layer of clothing (fire retardant highly

recommended). Casual clothing and street wear are not permitted. Chapter II provides further

guidelines regarding the racing suit specifications and availability. Wearing synthetic outer clothes or

underwear is strictly forbidden for Drivers when seated in their vehicle.

b) Gloves (covering all fingers fully – leather or canvas) and shoes with fire resistant material (Carbon X,

Indura, Nomex, Polybenzimidazole and Proban – SFI 3.3, FIA 8856-2000) are required. Socks should

be fire resistant.

T23.6: Driver comfort

The Organisers reserve the right to restrict individual driving time by any means at their sole discretion,

e.g. shortening the distance, requesting driver change (pit stop), limit maximum number of attempts per

driver per day, etc.

T23.7: Transponders

Transponders will be used as part of the timing system for the dynamic events at the ELECTRA

competition which will be provided by the organiser SAEINDIA,

T23.7.1 Transponder mounting requirements are:

a. Orientation - The transponder must be mounted vertically and orientated so the number can be read

"right-side up".

b. Location - The transponder must be mounted on the driver's right side of the car forward of the front

roll hoop. The transponder must be no more than 60 cm (24 in) above the track.

c. Obstructions - There must be an open, unobstructed line between the antenna on the bottom of the

transponder and the ground. Metal and carbon fiber may interrupt the transponder signal. The signal will

normally transmit through fiberglass and plastic. If the signal will be obstructed by metal or carbon fiber, a 10.2

cm (4 in) diameter opening can be cut, the transponder mounted flush with the opening, and the opening

covered with a material transparent to the signal.

d. Protection - Mount the transponder where it will be protected from obstacles.

- for all drivers including arm restraints, helmets, suits, gloves, eye protection,

socks and shoes.

nspection.

*************************************

Contact:

Mr. Bibhu Kumar,

Officer – CDS Events,

Email id: cdsevents@saeindia.org

Mobile: +91 8870471510

SAEINDIA #1/17 Ceebros Arcade, 2nd Floor, 3rd Cross, Kasturba Nagar, Adyar, Chennai - 600 020

Ph: +91 44 24411904, 42152280.

www.saeindia.org