VietNamNet
Bridge – Seeing the drops of perspiration rolling down the pedicab driver’s
forehead, an idea flashed through the mind of the three students from the Da Nang University of Technology that it is
necessary to force sunlight to serve the needs of human beings. As such, the
clean car SC4 has been born.

“At first, we intended to manufacture a 3-wheel pedicab run by solar
energy which allows drivers to save 70 percent of their strength,” Ta Ngoc
Thien Binh, head of the SC4 car research team said. However, they later decided
to manufacture a clean car, especially when they found out that the car prices
in Vietnam
are still incredibly high.

Also according to Thien Binh, solar-energy run cars have the common
disadvantage that they always need a long time to recharge their batteries,
while the capability of running continuously and the operation scope remain
limited.

The group of three students Ta Ngoc Thien Binh, Huynh Kim Trang and Pham
Nguyen Son then decided to design a transmission using the technology of
converting petrol-run engines into gas-run engines (LPG, NGV, or biogas). The
technology was invented by Professor Dr Bui Van Ga. When the supply of
electricity runs out or there is no sunlight, SC4 will run by a heat engine,
using LPG, which is installed together with the electricity engine.

Son related that after three months, SC4, the pet of the three students,
was born and successfully tested. The car can carry two people (each person
weights 70 kilograms) and can achieve speeds up to 50 kilometers/hr. The car
can run continuously when there is sunlight, while the “life expectancy” of the
car is about 20 years. The total production cost of the car, including
mechanical engineering and designing expenses, would be about 60 million dong.

“The car proves to be suitable for use in tourist cities like Da Nang, Hoi An and Ha
Long, because they can bring people to do shopping. If compared to petrol run
cars, the SC4 is notably inferior in its functions, but SC4 has its own
advantages. It can charge electronics such as laptop or mobile phones,” Son
said. “Besides, it does not require special care and regular maintenance”.

Accepting
risks and the dream of becoming “the boss”

The head of the SC4 team related that at first the team had four
members. However, when the idea about a clean car was discussed, many people
had doubts about its feasibility. Therefore, a member left the team.

However, the other three other members decided to continue to
manufacture a clean car. They decided to look for relating documents
everywhere, including going to HCM
City. They spent all the
money they had and all the money they borrowed to manufacture an experimental
model which had production cost of 13 million dong.

The students shared that they were lucky enough to receive the support
from Duong Viet Dung, a teacher, and from their faculty which gave them a room
that was used as a “mechanical workshop”.

From all of their efforts and support they have achieved success. The
scientific research work off the three students was awarded the first prize in
the competition of students doing scientific research. Binh said that the car
has a very special significance, because it not only has brought the first
prize, but new knowledge and experience useful for his life. Before getting a
scholarship due to his scientific research, Binh had received a scholarship to
study two years at Ulsan University in South Korea.

Discussing the future, Binh said that he will spend his time to perfect
the SC4. “I will to become the boss of a made-in-Vietnam car manufacturing
company when I return after the university study,” he said.

Source: Saigon
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