Date of Award

Spring 2026

Document Type

Restricted Thesis

Terms of Use

© 2026 Alexander Vasquez-Jaffe and Kimaru Boruett. All rights reserved. Access to this work is restricted to users within the Swarthmore College network and may only be used for non-commercial, educational, and research purposes. Sharing with users outside of the Swarthmore College network is expressly prohibited. For all other uses, including reproduction and distribution, please contact the copyright holder.

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Engineering Department

First Advisor

E. Carr Everbach

Abstract

This project details the development of a prototype hydrogen vehicle for the Shell Eco-Marathon (SEM) Americas, focusing equally on its physical powertrain and software-driven race strategy. The drivetrain centers on a Horizon H-1000XP proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell, a heavily regulated hydrogen delivery system, and an electric hub motor. Initial physical testing revealed critical torque limitations, prompting an immediate upgrade to a 36-volt motor controller to enable basic self-propelled movement. To resolve subsequent rough commutation and prevent system stress, the drivetrain was adapted to utilize a field-oriented controller capable of matching the fuel cell’s variable voltage output. In parallel, a comprehensive telemetry platform was designed to optimize the vehicle’s traction energy. A predictive longitudinal force simulation generated a burn-and-coast operating plan, successfully validating the vehicle’s theoretical ability to complete the 15,400 m course within the 2,100 s limit. Real-time performance monitoring was achieved via a Flask and Socket.IO server parsing serial packets into a live web dashboard. While full physical deployment was constrained by mechanical timelines, the core software architecture and dynamic driver cues were successfully validated on a bench-scale Arduino prototype, with the entire software system completed for $672.

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