Categories of Entry

The RACV Energy Breakthrough has five separate categories designed to cater for different levels of technology application and understanding:

1. Innovations in Technology
2. Pushcarts
3. Human Powered Vehicles (HPVs)
4. Try-athlon
5. Energy Efficient Vehicles (EEVs)

All entries are to be team entries and must consist of current school students.

Innovations in Technology

Proudly sponsored by Central Highlands Water
Open to Primary & Secondary Students.

The theme is “Working With Water”.

Three challenges:

• Challenge 1: Crafty Design
• Challenge 2: Junkyard Challenge

Full Craft and Model specifications can be found in the School Handbook, which is available from our Downloads section.

Challenge 1: Crafty Design
Open to Primary Students only
Teams must create a craft that will run under its own power, along a channel of water, carrying a full soft drink can.

Challenge 2: Junkyard Challenge
Open to Primary Students only

The Junkyard Challenge where teams of 4 will be provided with a range of materials and be required to create a structure that will span 1.5 metres. This creation will be required to support a 3 litre container of water by the end of a three hour time limit.

Pushcarts

Open to Primary Students only.

The Pushcart event is a challenging but enjoyable way of introducing energy use and technology to young students.
The machines are based on the humble billycart, and are pushed energetically through an obstacle course, sprint and circuit events at Maryborough in November.
The teams of ten students may obtain the assistance of other students, parents, friends, local trades people, community groups to build their pushcart.

Classes:

• Section 1 (A1): Teams from primary schools with enrolment of 150 or less.
• Section 2 (A2): Teams from primary schools with enrolment more than 150.

Human Powered Vehicles (HPVs)

Open to Primary & Secondary Students.

Entrants design, build and compete, using a vehicle powered solely by human power. The event specifications direct the construction of the vehicle – including safety, dimensions, steering regulations, lighting and warning device requirements.

Leading teams can cycle almost 900kms in 24 hours, with advanced materials such as carbon fibre, kevlar and titanium infiltrating vehicle designs. But its not just about the cutting edge – just the opportunity to participate keeps teams coming back year after year to pedal around the great lakeside circuits!

All entrants are be required to participate in the Trial sections on the street circuits at Maryborough in November (including a nine-hour lights-on period).

There will be a compulsory eight-hour break for primary entrants (Class A) during the night, making the duration of the primary event 14 hours.

Classes:

• Class A1: Primary students from schools with enrolment of 200 or less, of whom at least half of the team must be female.
• Class A2: Primary students from schools with enrolment more than 200, of whom at least half of the team must be female.
• Class All Female B/C: Teams consisting of all girls from Years 7 – 12.
• Class B1: Students up to Year 8, of whom at least half of the team must be female.
• Class B2: Students up to Year 10, of whom at least half of the team must be female.
• Class C: Students up to Year 12, of whom at least half of the team must be female.
• Open: Any group of school students, in Years 7 – 12, that cannot fulfil the gender requirements of other classes. This class is for secondary school students only.

Try-athlon

Open to Primary & Secondary Students

Quick pit stops, fast acceleration and smooth handling are the key to success in the Time Trial and Obstacle Rally, whilst the 8 hour Endurance Trial on the Holden track alongside the Energy Efficient Vehicles is a chance to really stretch the riders legs.  This is the most widely assessed category at the Energy Breakthrough. Entrants use the same design requirements as for Human Powered Vehicles (HPVs).

Classes:

• Class A: Primary students, of whom at least half of the team must be female.
• Class B/C: Students from Years 7 and 12, of whom at least half of the team must be female.
• Class Open: Any group of school students that cannot fulfil the gender requirements of other classes.

Energy Efficient Vehicles (EEVs)

Only open to Secondary Students

The Energy Efficient Vehicle category is designed to engage students with current industry trends towards electric vehicles, hybrid, solar, low emission and other alternative fuel vehicles. Suitable for VCAL and Trade Training students, those interested in automotive systems, go kart designs and tinkering with motors – electric and petrol.

It is the most technically difficult challenge the program provides and teams often come up with ingenious drive systems that marvel judges. Some are extremely complicated, others are simple – but all are seeking an Energy Breakthrough.

The big challenge is seeing how far their limited fuel allocations can cary them in the 24-hour endurance trial (including a nine-hour lights-on period), on a street circuit in November.

Classes:
In 2012, the Energy Efficient Vehicle category will be run in four sections:

• Hybrid 1: Pedal power, plus one other power source.
• Hybrid 2: Two power sources, excluding pedal.
• All-Electric: Electric power only.
• All-Petrol: Petrol only.

(Age and gender classes are similar to the HPV categories, depending on entry levels)