Will Alternative Drive Technologies Save the Future of the Car? Erasmus Project

Project Title

Will Alternative Drive Technologies Save the Future of the Car?

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for Schools Only

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2015

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Energy and resources; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

Project Summary Erasmus + – Project 2015-2017

The project pursued (among others during the four phases of transnational student exchange) the question whether “alternative drive technologies may save the future of the car”.

The car is the most wide spread means of transport (especially as concerns transportation of people). The effects of high mobility in the 21st century cause harm to the environment and result in enormous requirements as concerns infrastructure. Since the infrastructural problems cannot be solved by a school project, the students focused on the basic idea of mobility: by more efficient, more economic and more environmentally friendly cars equipped with improved or alternative drive systems not affecting the environment.
The objective of the project was looked at from different points of view, i.e.:
• from the intellectual point of view: knowledge gained on alternative drive systems
• from the social and political point of view and
• from the technological point of view, by building model cars equipped with these new technologies.

The students participating in this project were between 16 and 18 years old. They attended grade 12 of our vocational grammar schools with their special subject “Mechatronics”. Each year 40 to 50 students took part.
The participating schools are:
• Werner-von-Siemens-Schule Wetzlar (Germany)
• Sigmundova střední škola strojírenská, Lutín (Czech Republic)
Both schools are vocational full- and part –time colleges.

To achieve the main objective of the project, they produced papers, presentations and video clips of different drive systems such as:
• combustion engine with saving potential
• hydrogen fuel cell technology
• gas driven engines (LNG natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas)
• electric drive (powered by solar energy).

During the four transnational learning activities (exchange phases), the students designed and built models of cars equipped with these systems, reflecting these “real” drive technologies and working accordingly. In this phase “new technologies” as concerns the feasibility of the project i.e. the design and the production of the model cars played an important part. Students were introduced to various up-to-date design and production technologies
• CAD (Solid Works as professional computer-aided design software) incl. 3-D print technologies
• CNC-machinery (computer-aided milling machines or turning lathes) including
• their programming.

The methods and approaches used in the whole projects were integrated learning (several subjects participated) and holistic learning. The “educational approach” is the tuition on the project (from the beginning to the end). For this purpose the various aspects and the contexts of the tasks (technical, social and political) were considered as “problems” to be solved.
During the project the students had to work in self-organized teams (working in mixed groups of Czech and German students) solving the clearly defined tasks individually according to their own planning and production.

The results – papers, presentations, video clips and the car-models were exhibited in various dissemination events at both schools and presented to the public (Open Day, special events, vocational fairs, “Hessentag”) and outside the schools (visiting firms, other schools). Furthermore they will be exhibited permanently at both schools for future students.

The long-term impact of the project is that
• students experience new forms of learning
• develop a better understanding of their European partners
• become aware that technology is not an end in itself, is not only a question of technological know-how, but is also always dependent on social and political aspects which have to be considered and evaluated.
Our students, who participated in this project will profit from this experience because they were taught industrial know-how and the latest developments of technology thus improving their skills and learning levels, which, after leaving school (and later university), will help them in their future careers, making it easier for them to find a job in the European job market.

The long-term profit for the school is
• to improve the standard and quality of teaching
• the implementation of a European curriculum and
• a permanent cooperation with European partners

… because the problems we will face in the future can only be solved collectively…

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 36700 Eur

Project Coordinator

Werner-von-Siemens-Schule Wetzlar & Country: DE

Project Partners

• Sigmundova stredni skola strojirenska, Lutin