The Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge is a national competition among universities hosted by the National Fluid Power Association that challenges students to implement a hydraulic braking and power system to a human powered vehicle. The competition consists of 4 events, which test the speed, endurance, efficiency, and regenerative braking capabilities of the vehicle. We, Zot Under Pressure, are creating a tricycle that converts human input into hydraulic power, focusing on speed and endurance. Our team will represent UCI in the competition and showcase the applications of hydraulic power.
Our objective is to design a vehicle that can store the energy from pedaling a trike in the form of pressure, and utilize it to power the vehicle on its own. The rotational energy from the pedals is converted to pressure through our hydraulic pump, which builds pressure in our accumulator. And using our electronic and hydraulic systems, we can discharge the stored pressure at will through the activation of our solenoids within the hydraulic circuit, redirecting the pressure to our hydraulic motor which will propel the vehicle.
As this is the second time UCI is participating in the National Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge, we aim to iterate on the previous year’s design with an overhauled hydraulic circuit and additional parts in order to place higher than ever before. The main iterations our team has been working on is to optimize speed and efficiency by increasing pump RPM, decreasing pump pressure, implementing a pressure intensifier into an upgraded hydraulic circuit, improving the electronics, and reducing weight through a different mounting system. We are set to fly out on April 21st, 2026 to compete in Rockford, Illinois, with a fluid power vehicle that can efficiently accumulate and discharge pressure.