INTRODUCTION

Dedication to the pursuit of exploring alternative solutions to internal combustion vehicles through looking at past alternatives, and increasing environmental awareness, is where the future of the domestic vehicles must be headed.

It is my pleasure to introduce to you the 1976 DJ5E Electric Postal Jeep “ELECTRUCK”.  This is not a conversion but a factory OEM.  One of 352 manufactured, one of 5 in Canada operated by Canada Post, and quite possibly the last one in existence.

PURPOSE

The significant efficiency advantage that electric motors have over internal combustion engines has determined their place in the future of automotive engineering.  The ability to be powered by electricity has drawn massive attention towards electric vehicles.  With the preservation of past electric motor systems in all design applications, an electric drive vehicle is exceedingly relevant.

The Electric Jeep project is a remarkable opportunity for our future engineers to learn from the past and become our management, design, and production team of the future.  Every student examining this vehicle of the past will gain invaluable experience and knowledge and with it one more piece of the long history of electric powered vehicles.

The project will also serve to highlight electric drive technologies in a visible, and personally dramatic way.  We look to draw the public community into the excitement of the project and the potential of electric power systems for the future.

GOALS

The goals of the Electric Jeep project are:

• To restore an electric vehicle for appreciation by Engineering students, and community environmental awareness.
• To further public education, interest, and support for electric vehicles

To build relations between business, the community, and government.