Recap

So, we have two vehicles who seem to be working rather well.

We had a problem in Primus, when the motor's coil got damaged and electrical Jogis Ameer Hamza and Sohaib led the recovery, which involved dissecting the motor and all. But it worked out well in the end I suppose.

The vehicles were then packed in a wooden crate - yes, both vehicles in one crate, the first sight of which I caught in Sepang and thought 'WTH' - and placed for Captain Malik Barbossa to ship out. Actually, a lot of the above was done by the Captain and some of his cronies - who did what, I still remain oblivious to (since I didn't even go to these ceremonies).

Recap

Right then, a quick recap.

Somewhere in June - it has to be June because everything only ever gets done right at the end - we got both Primus (the electric prototpye) and Kaar (the gasoline Urban Concept) running. By the way, the use of the word 'we' here is in the loosest possible sense.

Anyhow, in terms of reliablity, Kaar was working really well. Exuberant team members gave it a good amount of running all around the college. They bumped into a flower pot once too, that damaged the Ka...flower pot. In terms of efficiency, thing's weren't this flowery. The inefficient drive train - I say only on the basis of a redundant 3 stage drive reduction - and the automatic gearbox, which rendered the use of the start-stop strategy impossible, was taking its toll. Still, our hopes were high.

Primus was moving. There was no reason I shouldn't have been - I wasn't involved in it. The steering system, which we had borrowed from Zaafir, was a totally crap, so that was the only apparent downside. We had apparently had the fiberglass body made slightly smaller than what should have been too. (Notice that everything I had a hand in went wrong).

Lights on out in 10 mins, so more on more stuff, later.

Trying to be back

Every once in a while, we all go through a period in life when struck by Pneumothorax-unga-tunga-titis and Bilateral-Apical-Pleural-Capping, we are no more able to vent the frustrations of life on a fuzzy yellow tennis ball, and we are forced to revisit the blogs that we once wrote and nobody visited.
Ok, maybe that doesn't happen to all of us.

Nevertheless, I was going through all the posts...yes, all of them (how do you suppose we ever got 3047 visitors?)...and felt as if there's something still left. Ok, actually, I have a lousy job where I am buying mosquito-repellants and Moringa plants, so I thought I might as well make some posts that were due, so that when I am famous and rich, I won't have to give so many interviews.

So, will try to muster the words for one last charge until, of course, I get kicked out of my job or this fresh bout of Cacoethes Scribendi dies its own death.

More Light at the end of tunnel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gK_wMSFPNw

Not sure about the relevant stuff, but I think our guys made pretty good videos.

PS: Pretty sad they killed off EMENENTS and stuff...

Light at the end of the tunnel

Last week (since the draft for this post started earlier, today is 20th August), I set out to write a post-event report for EMENENTS at the Shell Eco-Marathon 2011. And that reminded me. The Shell Eco-Marathon 2011 Asia has been.

Ok, that may have not made much sense, but you know what I meant. I mean, the last post here was over two months ago, when the world was young, and well...SEM hadn't taken place. Kaar was very much on the move, and Primus opened its eyes for the first time. We didn't know whether the vehicles would even get to the competition, let alone compete...and other things like that. So naturally, we missed a whole lot of posts, events, people and fights.

We missed, for example, a post on a guy called Sabri, where I wanted to say that growing beards don't necessarily make people wiser, and that Sabri sahab was a hag. We missed a post when EMENENTS won the EME-derby when reliability issues for another team from EME left us as the sole representatives of our institution. That team took off a great start, but claims without substance last just as long. We missed the anxiety over sending the vehicles, over who would go and who wouldn't. We missed the great treason of the team manager sahib of Primus. We even missed the annual 'meet the team' post too.

And although I do feel the urge to write on some of the topics, I am worried that it might arouse anger and nostalgia. So, let's limit ourselves to the end. Kaar managed to post an official mileage figure at the competition, a meagre 35 km to the litre...oh no no, it was a whopping 98 mpg (UK). Primus had to remain content with staying in the pits, and hope for better returns next time.

In fairness, the result for Kaar isn't remarkable. We stood last in our category. In more fairness, however, this is a start. A harbinger for further improvement, and better results in the future. As Sir Raja will later say, "Nothing succeeds like success." So, while our returns were unremarkable, those of the peope who succeed us at EMENENTS may be much better. Only if we have been inspiration enough. And that is no little achievement. Moreover, it must be mentioned that we were last in the teams that qualified. We effectively had a better than mid-table finish when all the teams in the competition spectrum are considered. And we didn't even have to take a piss over India during our flight.

Primus, in my opinion, was a more competitive chance. The simple driveline, and the featherweight...weight promised greater returns, but we couldn't tamper with the brakes enough, and were not allowed on track on safety grounds.

Worthy of mention are the efforts of all team members (who did consider themselves as such at least), especially those who accompanied the cars to Malaysia.

Anyhow, the results for our categories can be found here:
http://www.sonoma.fr/projects/SECOM_AS11/src/iframe.php?f_compGroup=4vwsua70j5&f_engineType=_lgbaful_q&f_fuelType=vza7xfdyek&f_DispUnits=2
http://www.sonoma.fr/projects/SECOM_AS11/src/iframe.php?f_compGroup=7vtbzw2hj2&f_engineType=c77x0qpppp&f_fuelType=34p_4z7ddd&f_DispUnits=3

From what I have been able to understand, back home, our results have been considered a success. We have shut-up those who kept on waving flags of last year's debacle, and have managed to incite new students to join the cause. This is special, more so because we had less time to work on the vehicle than our competition at the track as most Pakistani cars were brought late. That reminds me, we have also missed a post on 'a case of exploding mangoes'.

Anyway, this brings me to the end of my official association with the vehicles and the team. For the last two years, I have rarely thought of something else. Throughout my life, I have never given much effort to one cause. I may have failed miserably in what I and my original team set out to achieve, but I feel content due to the fact that I could not have worked harder for it, and that the team I helped form has a bright future. The association with the team was accompanied by lots of highs and lows...ok, that's enough sentimentalism for two years I suppose.

Finally, we can now see light at the end of the tunnel. The men and women who shoulder the responsibility for this team would be without the corruption of ideas the pioneer team might have had. There is great hope.

What else? Ok, if I think of something, I'll make a post or two, or an edit thereof. Yeah, if someone from the team wants to continue on this blog, they are most welcome. I am thinking of changing the domain name to something that covers the entire team.

Anyhow, this is how it ends. I wish the future team good luck.

FORZA EMENENTS!

Primus on the move

Primus is on the move.

Word is that after having successfully tested the drive train a couple of weeks ago, the team was able to make Primus run on the road as well. Word is also that the vehicle ran flawlessly and comfortably.

There are still some issues but those are minor ones concerning Shell Eco Marathon rules, and will be addressed comfortably. Things are looking up.

PRIMUS INTER PARES!

Support Emenents!

It takes some saying, but...LIKE US!

KAAR
http://ecomarathon.shell.com/asia/team/505

PRIMUS
http://ecomarathon.shell.com/asia/team/307

Kali Kaar

Ok, so they have painted Kaar black.

This is how it looks now. Personally, I preferred the green-with-white-stripes for more than one reason, but the important thing is that it's working.

Kaar: Exhaustive testing underway

Kaar is undergoing stringent testing routines in which we are not only testing it for mileage, but also other aspects of the vehicle including factors affecting mileage, safety and reliability of component systems.

Unfortunately, I am unable to post videos due to some problem with blogger, so log on to our facebook group for the videos and pictures.

Kaar fit to go!

Kaar, the Urban Concept vehicle by emenents, has cleared a health test carried out by Shell Pakistan. This means that we are all set to go!

The team from Shell Pakistan identified some minor issues in the vehicle which need addressing, and we will address them, but once we hit top gear with the vehicle, any doubts and concerns about Kaar were laid to rest.

Meanwhile the team decided to postpone the health-test for Primus, as the vehicle by another team wasn't ready either. Primus is almost 80% done with the body expected to be deliver tomorrow, and wheel alignment (problem identified in testing) being carried out.

Certain Uncertainity

With all but the braking system for Primus in place, the prototype by Emenents is nearing completion. The chassis has been dispatched to AWC - I don't know what that stands for, and I doubt I'd be authorized to reveal if I knew - for body fabrication.

Kaar, meanwhile, has a huge problem - but luckily just one. Things are looking up.

Sadly, we are also short of time, as the deadline we are looking at is 6th June. And short of funds and publicity too - despite promises from MVRDE and Geo, details of which I can not divulge till after I graduate - and so, there is definite uncertainity these days.

There are serious question marks on whether we will be able to showcase and run our vehicles at the Sepang International Circuit. Anyhow, we are hopeful as ever.

Onwards, EMENENTS!

Setback for Kaar

Big setback for Kaar as our drivetrain risk of directly coupling the engine with the wheels doesn't pay off. Back to the workshop for Kaar!

:-(

Primus Inter Pa..Pa..Pa..res

Work is slow. Progress is on. No, hang on...work is progress and on is slow. Yes, that's right. But...Primus is hopefully a day or two away from hitting the roads. We'll bring the photos and videos soon.

What else? Well, there's a lot going on...and not exactly everything is worth reporting. And things that are need so much censor, I shouldn't write about them in the first place. Anyway, we'll be having regular blurs in the irregular transmission as we get into the final count-down for vehicle shipment.

21-05-2011

That was yesterday. And an eventful day.

1. Meeting with Shell Pakistan. I said they are the busiest people on earth. They had another meeting with us yesterday. The idea: to check whether our vehicles conformed to the rules. The stupid git from Shell had to read from a checklist everything we all knew from heart. The Shell Eco Marathon rules. See, I told you they are the busiest people on earth.

To make up for his embarrassment, the guy grilled us on safety and Shell's Goal Zero - whatever that is. He made some funny faces, told us to converse in English, and got the hell out of here.

2. Meeting with Shafiq Sabri, the CEO or whatever of Sabri Logistics, the guys who transport vehicles to Malaysia. He made a long - read again, long - and read again, long - speech on different matters. Perhaps, we'll dedicate a post to him some time soon.

3. We are pleased to acknowledge that Kaar ranked in 2nd at the Bahria University's business plan competition, Bizignition! Bravo men...keep it going.

Bizignition!

NUST DISCOVER decided to snub Kaar without entertaining any requisite documents, on the ground that the team was incomplete. Oh tempora! Oh mores! Oh our stupid formalities!

Even so, our this year's additions to the team presented the business model at Bahria University's business plan contest, Bizignition, and were among the 6 finalists. Finals tomorrow.

Forza Emenents!

Meeting with Shell Pakistan

There is no entity - organization, suborganization, an institution, a set of individuals, anyone - working harder towards the Shell Eco Marathon, than Shell Pakistan. They are setting up meetings!

So today, the three teams from EME College had a meeting with Shell Pakistan. A delegation of EMENENTS led by Malik Basharat and Sohaib Afzal met with Shell Pakistan to discuss the progress, the problems, and everything else.

Apparently, there is a 'health-check' of the vehicles tomorrow. One wonders what these mentors (born as mentors just a couple of months before the competition) can offer...but, well...let's find out tomorrow.

The turning wheels

We have reinvented the wheel. Ok, we haven't done that either.

News is that Primus and Kaar are nearing completion and that both have wheels and freedom to move. We are working. Buzz off.

Forward Emenents!

A show of blessed chauvinism

Someone, let's say, very close to Primus and Kaar gave this wonderful idea.

If and when we travel to Malaysia (or anyother place that requires flying over a certain hostile neighbour), someone to kindly remind us to use the toilet when we cross over the international boundary into India. A sign of our love for our neighbour.

We would wish at that instance that the sewage disposal system in aeroplanes was like that in Pakistani trains.

The Commandant

I am in love (the platonic variety). With the Commandant. Definitely NOT that of the College of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering. But of the Pakistan Naval Engineering College.

Here are 10 things that are/were good about him:
1. He doesn't have an SO he doesn't deserve.

2. He had rank but no apparent arrogance.

3. He didn't create a fuss at not being seated at the head of the conference table.

4. He can sit at a conference table and not suffer from acute Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
5. He didn't have an army of suck-ups to accompany him all the time. Even some of the time.

6. He could sit alone in a sofa and have lunch all by himself.

7. He seemed to have enough sense not to butt-in in matters he had no knowledge.

8. He had enough sense not start building unnecessary roads all over PNEC.

9. He had enough sense not to convert the college's cafeteria into an accomodation for the bearers.

10. He had enough wisdom not to interfere with student affairs to be point of making them abhor their institution.

Drive Train adjustment for Kaar

I am told that Kaar is to undergo an adjustment in the drive train. After consultations all round, it was decided to remove the chain-drive system with a spur-gear system.

My God have mercy on Kaar!

The Automotive Corporate Advisory Committee

There is a group of individuals who, once in a...well, once a meeting is arranged, sit all around a conference table and think they know what's best for the students of the National University of Sciences and Technology. This is the Corporate Advisory Committee of NUST.

NUST has also established a Corporate Advisory Council (CAC) comprising experts
from academia, industry and commercial organizations from Pakistan and
around. The CAC guides NUST on future trends in Industry and topics of
collaborative research

Maybe these guys do know what's best for the students. Or maybe, they don't. In either case, on the pretext of presenting the sacred work NUST students are doing in developiing fuel efficient vehicle, I had the chance of attending a session of the Automotive CAC.

But as it turned out, there were few agenda points: School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering (SMME) at NUST is great. Give it's students internships.

The discussion, on the other hand, was quite enjoyable. One representative of Indus Motors (I think) felt that engineering students should be imparted managerial skills too. There seemed consensus that guest speaker session were the most potent way of doing this! The director of SMME, opined that students at SMME were being taught Professional Ethics which would make them better managers!

The guy with an american-accent was perhaps in the wrong CAC meeting. He wanted everything extended to non-engineering disciplines as well.

Then we had some chicken-patties, a roll and a little pastry, after which we were expelled from the meeting. Top secret stuff.

Anyway, EMENENTS and four other teams presented their vehicles, got nothing to fill their kashkols (begging bowls), and went home.

Presentation at CAC??!!!!!!!

Presentation in Karachi on 12th May to some Corporate Advisory Committee....
Dublew-tee-eff??!!!!!!!

Update: first trickle of cash (on loan against an amount to be provided by PSF) arrives. Future detractors, note now!

Where the EMENENTS are getting it wrong

Let's see...some 20 or so days remain till the vehicles should be shipped.

We are ages behind where we should be. It is not this, however, that concerns me. What does is that we aren't moving at all these days. The progress slow, the coffers empty and the motivation levels are at their lowest since...well, the time they were second-to-lowest.

EMENENTS awaken. We don't want to get this wrong now!

Where Mr. Rizvi got it wrong

Azhar Rizvi is among the important people behind IBA INVENT - the entrepreneurial competition organized by Institute of Business Administration. We take him synonymous to the competition as well. He's that good.

So, when INVENT 2011 snubbed Kaar as a business idea in the very first round, we were concerned. It was either we had messed up somewhere so very bad, or that Mr. Rizvi had missed a trick. We decided to find out.

We sent our spies to all sorts of places in Europe, and decided to look over the internet ourselves. The aim: to compare a fuel-efficient car with...well, everything else.

Fuel Economy
But first, we take a look at something much closer to our homes. My home.
EME College is about 12 km from my home. The return journey takes 12 x 2 = 24 km, something I do almost everyday.

My Daihatsu (hope the spellings are correct) Cuore does about 24 km to 1 kg of CNG, which costs (these days Rs. 58.55/Kg). So, one college day costs me, lets say Rs. 59. The same (at Rs. 83.70/L and 14 km/L) on petrol costs me around Rs. 140. On the other hand, if I use the college bus, which charges Rs. 1500/month (about 22 days/month), I have to pay, on average, Rs. 68. Unfortunately, the route I have to take on public transport involves three sub-routes, which totals to Rs. 42/trip, and hence Rs. 84/college day.

The writing is on the wall. Public transport isn't the solution to our fuel-economy problem. Using my car is simultaneously the cheapest and the most expensive solution. Fuel-efficiency of the vehicle draws the line for me. Imagine a car that does, say, 42 km/L (much less than what we expect from Kaar). The trip would cost me just Rs. 46/day. 56 km/L would cost me just Rs. 35/day.

Utility
There can be no denial of the utility of small and personalize-able cars. For the college-student-me, my car allows me flexibility in timings and ability to synchronize my travel timings with those of my classes.

Moreover, I remember a video by Top Gear in which Jeremy Clarkson squeezes into a really small vehicle, which can...well, fit into an elevator, and allows locomotion inside his office!

Fashion-Statement
Who says small and fuel-efficient cars have to look gross all the time?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13088553

Vehicle Cost
This is the Tata-Nano. And the worst thing about it is that it's made by Indian. Among the 10 things TIME reckons you should know about it is that it costs about $ 2000 (PKR Equivalent Rs. 170,000), it's made with less material than conventional cars (as you would expect), it weighs 600 Kgs and gives over 20 km/L.

Is Nano a success? Apparently yes. (I wouldn't know for sure with all that economic jargon everywhere on the net). TIME lists it among the 12 most important cars of ALL TIME! That these Indians A-holes are planning to get into Europe in 2011 speaks volumes of its success.

Parking Space
Small cars equals to less congestion on the roads and for parking spaces. Our spies from Italy and France reported Smart Car to be a common sight. There was a yet smaller vehicle in Holland, the name of which we haven't been able to find out yet, and that was apparently a single seater automobile - addressing the above mentioned problems - especially for those with less children and productivity and efficiency in mind.

So, where did INVENT get it wrong? Right here!

Emenents Trivia

Question:
How do you squeeze in the frames of Primus and Kaar into a Suzuki Bolan (carry-dabba)?

(if you are free enough, answer through comments)
ispep fo ertil a flah htiw revird eth ebirB :rewsnA

Updates Updates

1. Both frames ready

2. Agreement with Geo finalized. As in, all requisite signatures in place.

3. Stats center show that Israelis were the most frequent on this page last week. Sorry dudes, we don't do bombs and guns. You can get the hell out of here.

4. A minor set-back for the team, as Kaar's executive summary and elevator pitch wasn't able to propel it into the second round of INVENT 2011. Poor INVENT organizers. How would they manage without us?

Primus Frame nears completion

Primus Update: the frame is almost complete. We are 3 sub-welds away from completion, after which we will start to integrate the other chassis systems.

A detailed post soon. I am sleepy.

Chassis Chassis

We are pleased to confirm the MVRDE (motor vehicle research and development establishment) has extended technical support with regards to manufacture of both chassis.

In this regard, today saw us start breaking our backs (figuratively only) to get both the chassis in order. Primus chassis is in a relatively advanced position, while we were left mulling over whether to make do with last year's Kaar chassis, or make a new one.

In any case, we are beginning to see some some physical development and an invigorated team.

Shell Eco Marathon Americas

This is essentially an oriental perspective, but today, we take a look at the Shell Eco Marathon Americas, which concluded sometime this week in Houston Texas.

First thing: these Americans are idiots. Since they haven't been able to compete with Europe in terms of SEM mileages, they have been inflating their figures by using mpg (miles per gallon) figures, and not the km/l figures used universally. You do the conversion yourself.

Prototype Category:
Some Canadian team did 2,564.8 mpg to win the Internal Combustion prize. This, by the way is 1,090 km/L. The best Asia managed in 2010 was 1,522 km/L. Suck on that, you...imperialists!

First prize in the plug-in category went to a US high school team, which managed 386.2 mi/kWh. This is 618 km/Kwh. The gauntlet has been thrown for Primus, although this may be a target too far.

Urban Concept Category.
Highest in Americas was 646.7 mpg (275 km/L). Asia's highest was 238 km/L, so here is slight raising of the bar. Again, a tough call for Kaar.

Obviously, there were many more results, categories and awards. Hope you don't expect me to go through them all. DIY:
http://www.shell.com/home/content/ecomarathon/americas/media/event_highlights/2011/04172011_final.html

Pakistan Science Foundation extends partnership for this year as well

Buoyed by the successes of last year, and progress this year, the Pakistan Science Foundation has agreed to extend its co-operation with us for at least one year. Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF) was one of the proud sponsors of Kaar last year as well, and will continue their partnership with EMENENTS this year. We are very pleased with their continued support, and thank the PSF. PRIMUS UPDATE: Test rig for motor under construction.

Updates and Other Animals

Team Update: A delegation of Shell Pakistan visited EME College on 31st March, and were given presentations about the progress, and everything else, regarding the project. I am told they were pleased. I am also told that there was some talk about presenting one of the vehicles from College for British Council on the Queen's birthday...somewhere.

The Queen's birthday? WTH?!!!!

Primus Update: Battery to arrive soon. Should be in hand by Monday.

Kaar Update: Kaar registered for NUST's business plan contest DISCOVER

http://discover-nustbpc.info/Pages/StudentIdeaRegDetails.aspx?Id=78&Page=0

Motor is Go!

Testing of the motor has begun. Although, we have it's performance curves available, it is felt that in order to optimize Primus for the track, and our use, it's imperative to verify its performance characteristics. That's all for now. Possibly pictures and videos soon. Hopefully.

Sucking up to Geo

Does Geo's logo look like the freemasonic one-eye? Was Dawn my favorite newspaper/channel? Does Geo dramatize everything?

SHUT THE F*** UP!

Jeet ke Geo!

Emenent of the month

We had a presentation at a potential sponsor today, and it went very good...


The details are well boring. So, we are going to have a little award ceremony. The month (March) ends soon, so I can indulge in more self-aggrandization soon, and so, we are going to recognize the awesomeness of some awesome performances.


First, the nominees for quote of the month are:
Number One; this isn't the quote-unquote stuff, but gist only. A face familiar to EME's participate in SEM (and someone who has featured on this blog previously):
"Main to machhlee lene aya hua hoon"
Half an hour before the original time of the presentation, the most important member of the delegation. The presentation was put off until today!


Number Two; there is no number two. Quote number one is our quote of the month.
Applause.


The second category is Emenent of the month, and the nominees are:
1. Umer Usman (Marketing manager, Primus), for either being the best liar or the coolest person in EME. He supposedly had Cornell licking his balls to join them, has a brother who plays for Arsenal Football Club and himself plays checkers with 'partly-atheist' Pervez Hoodbhoy each weekend.


2. Captain Barbossa (Team Manager, Kaar), for his unyeilding and relentless sucking up to this organization for a presentation.


3. Sohaib von Stig (Team Manager, Primus), for becoming the only man (ever) to have ever posted on this blog and become its follower too. He showed unprecedented initiative to tackle the body people at SCME, NUST today.

4. M. Shehryar Baig, for not falling ill today. He represented EMENENTS along with Sohaib, while I was playing tennis.

And the winner...

...
...
...
...
['...' is stupid]

And the winner is:
Assistant Professor Raja Amer Azim (Supervisor, Primus) for an outstanding, ass-kicking presentation defence today. I lost the plot at 'Traction limits' but Sir Raja mesmerized the audience with a profound lecture on oversteer, understeer and neutral steer, among much other automotive jargon that I should otherwise be familiar with by now.

Anyhow, ye sabun aap ka hua!

Tick Tock Tick Tock

Primus Update: I am told that the motor has arrived. Someone's gone to collect it, and we are anxiously waiting for it at our homes :-)

Jeet ke Geo!

Let me spoil the news before it's even ripe. Let me eleviate our hopes so that when they turn out all wrong, it hurts even more.

News Flash: GEO NEWS NETWORK HAS AGREED TO BE EMENENTS' MEDIA PARTNERS!
Geo News is Pakistan's largest media group with four TV channels and many newspapers and magazines.

I am told that an in-principal agreement has been made, and that the modalities are on the table, and all that remains is pen on paper.

There is news. And then, there is a bombshell. This is a bombshell! There are people who can't keep things to their chests. And then, there are loud-mouths. I am a loud-mouth!

Anyway, more on this - and sucking up to Geo TV network later when the news is verified.

Rising Tempers

This is that time of year when people get angry.

Empty coffers. Lackadaisical (old) sponsors. Flagging faiths. Abortive efforts. Crumbling patience. Obdurate (potential) sponsors. Dwindling humour. Waning concentrations. Rising tempers.

Ok, I am tired of looking up thesaurus.com now.

Things aren't exactly moving along in fast-forward. They are just moving along.

A century of BS

This the 100th post on this blog.

So, let me take some time off from this rant about Kaar and Primus; about automobiles and energy efficiency. Let me take the time off to drink to something I should have been doing all along. Me!

Nope. I'am just kidding. Because, that's what I am always doing anyway.

But here is an ode - I hope it's an ode because I don't know what an ode is - to me writing on a page no one visits, doing propaganda on a medium no one buys and ruminating over things no one cares about.

Here is an ode to me for making it to a 100 despite first anticipating, then realizing and then knowing that this is where only the dead visit; and the dead don't visit blogs.

...talking of which, I just realized that I haven't posted any picture as to how the new Kaar and Primus look like...

The new Kaar design, which may not be implemented this year as we try to lay more emphasis on vehicle reliability and driveline issues.

Primus inter pares, according to manager Sohaib. The wheels here aren't the real ones.

PS: the information in the last post was not correct :-P

Body Update

PRIMUS AND KAAR BODY UPDATE: Preliminary talks held with an alumnus of EME at a fiberglass firm for technical help in the manufacture of both or one of the bodies for our projects.

INVENT 2011 -ing

With the greater goal of making what we make for the market - and the common man - in mind, we at EMENENTS consider exploring the business potential of our projects an integral part of our work.

In this view, both Kaar and Primus have been registered for IBA's INVENT 2011, after the great success of Kaar in INVENT's inaugural year last time round. INVENT is possibly - I am not sure - Pakistan's first nationwide, and biggest, business plan competition.

The idea details can viewed at the INVENT website - links given below:
Kaar
Primus

An old Dawn to lift up new hearts

That doesn't make much sense, does it?

Anyway, a video from last year. Kaar got coverage in Dawn News, and all we could manage was this low-def video. With work gaining momentum this year, it is hoped that this will help inspire...me :-)

The new march

PRIMUS UPDATE: Orders for Battery and Motor have been placed. The stuff is expected in about 3 weeks.

The march to SEM 2011 has physically begun.

Presentation at NUST

EME College is the largest constituent college of the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), and last year, NUST was EMENENTS' (Bekaar's) biggest sponsor. A presentation was staged at NUST on 24th February 2011 for evaluating the pros and cons, and constituting the plan-of-action for EME College's teams at the Shell Eco Marathon.

To keep it short, the people-who-matter-at-NUST were quite impressed with our work, especially with regards to minimizing the weight of the vehicle, and encouraged us very much.

The one year old revolution

This blog is one year old today.

Some meaningless stats:
- almost 1 post every 4 days
- almost 0 meaningful posts every year
- over 5 people visit the blog everyday
- if you exclude the number of times I visit my blog, on average 0 peopl visit the blog everyday
- on average each post recieves 20 views
- at least 7 people apart from myself have ever visited this page (the stats page, however shows many more)
- it also shows more relevant things, but who cares anyway.

Now, to more apt matters.

NEWS FLASH: We have recieved information from very credible sources that Dr. Mahmood A Khan, HOD Mechanical, College of EME, has replaced Sir Fareed ud Din as the Project Supervisor for Kaar.

We thank Sir Fareed, and his family, for the continuous support he has accorded this cause over the last one and a half years, and wish him all the best for his future endevours.

What do I want to be when I grow up?

The last time (metaphorically only) someone went about comparing cars - it was Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear, comparing a Ferrari 360 to a Porsche GT 3 RS: I would always prefer a bridge over a Pentium processor, he said. - I ended up choosing Mechanical as my field of engineering.

Anyway, we aren't going to make mundane comparisons today. We look at some of the Pakistani cars at the Shell Eco Marathon 2010, and see what they would like to become once they get old.

This blog isn't just about updates on our projects. It's also about some light-hearted jest and the misrepresentation of truth!

I have no idea what I was thinking when comparing Kaar to a Bugati Veyron. I felt they looked alike. In some tens of photos of Kaar and Bugati that I went through, both tried hard not to look like each other. This was a success. It didn't bother me.

I don't know what car this is, but it says Mazda somewhere. On the right is NED's Winmark's monstrosity.

It was the car, not the guy looking on that somewhat resembled a Hummer.

The same that applies to the Bugati and Kaar applies here: a Lambo and GIKI's Panache's car.

The Bowler Nemesis and another one of NED's vehicle.

Don't think the vehicle on the left is more than just a concept car - have no idea what it is anyway - but then, the one on the right is hardly better than a facsimile of a vehicle in SEM Europe 2009

I found it hard to find something similar to the Prodigy. Tried looking up Turkey's first car, but then, these guys would start whining all year round

This car didn't lack imagination

Ok, I am SLIGHTLY biased against the prototype category. I think they all look like mice.

A mouse in armour

An orange mouse

A mouse with wings

A slightly car-ish mouse

Team Zaafir extend their full support!

Carrying out two huge project means we have to look forward to every bit of help we can get. With Primus the sole representative of EME College in the prototype category of SEM 2011, members of the original team Zaafir have extended their full support - in salvaging parts from their vehicle from 2010.

Our roots have suddenly grown much deeper, our base broader and the EMENENT brotherhood much bigger!

And the irrepressible new-look website...

EMENENTS

FORZA EMENENTS

PS: I know I just used the chant 'forza emenents', but this new extremely sexy logo of EMENENTS somehow reminds me of the great Italian car-makers :-)

Selection Letter

Ever since I applied to some 3rd rated US colleges (MIT, Harvard, Stanford to name a few), I have yearned to recieve a letter that...isn't a rejection letter. Last year, the organizers of Shell Eco Marathon also sent a letter of approval...but that seemed mere formality with the event being held for the first time and all.

Here is some of text of the letter we got today:

This is to confirm that Emenents UC from College of Electrical and Mechanical
Engineering, Pakistan has been selected to participate in the Shell Eco-marathon Asia 2011, to be held at the Sepang International Circuit in Kuala Lumpur from 6-9 July 2011.

The Shell Eco-marathon challenges students from around the world to design, build and test energy efficient vehicles. With annual events in the Americas, Europe and Asia, the winners are the teams that go the farthest distance using the least amount of energy.

It also says:

ON YOUR MARK. GET SET. LET'S GO!

The return of the spirit

It's here. It's there. It's everywhere!

Yes, that...bloody spirit. Ok, well its bloodless, and it's also quite welcome...(did you, for a moment even, think I was talking about the supernatural idea of spirit?)

Anyway, it was about this time of the year, last year, that I started wasting my time on this blog, and that was representative of the zeal the team had in this project. It's almost a case of deja vu (Gee, really wanted to use this word) as we are going through a repeat of the reincarnation of the rejuvenation of the resurrection of the...ok, you get the point...of that spirit.

FORZA EMENENTS!

Selected for SEM 2011

There is a post somewhere in the drafts which I had been trying to compose. It's about comparing cars. It's supposed to be about some interesting comparison I felt like making. But fortunately, that can wait.

Here is news: EMENENTS UC's Kaar and EMENENTS PT's Primus were among the 121 teams okayed to take part in Shell Eco Marathon 2011 by the Shell guys who live in a Shell...ok, they don't live in a Shell.

Congrats to the team. Make the country proud this time :-)