A TALENTED student from Coventry University has been selected to take part in a project which aims to ensure future electric vehicle mobility is accessible to all.
Yikuan Zhang, a third-year Bachelor of Arts student studying Automotive and Transportation Design at Coventry University, will be designing and engineering an electric Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (eWAV) prototype.
The 24-year-old was selected for the ground-breaking project by Motability Operations and design and engineering firm CALLUM after impressing a judging panel with eWAV concepts developed at a ‘Design Hack’ at the university.
Almost 150 students took part in Design Hacks organised by CALLUM and Motability Operations at both Coventry University and the Glasgow School of Art.
Yikuan, alongside another student from the Glasgow School of Art, will receive a paid placement at CALLUM to progress with an eWAV prototype.
He said: “I entered the Design Hack to challenge myself with this interesting and meaningful design task.
“In my career, I want to understand our society, solve problems with better design and ultimately bring positive changes to society.”
Motability operations receive around 4,000 applications each year for small and medium WAVs, which are generally cheaper to run.
However, these people face additional practical challenges and higher costs as the industry moves towards EVs, with the battery in the floor reducing internal height and usable space.
