The pages of Hackster are full of all kinds of creations operating the gamut from robots to residence automation programs and software program hacks. Even with all of this selection, it’s uncommon to see a small group of {hardware} hackers go as far as to construct a automobile — as in a drivable, street-legal car, not a radio-controlled miniature. However that’s precisely what a father and daughter duo in Spain lately did.
Charly, the proprietor of LORYC, which he describes because the smallest automobile manufacturing facility on the planet, has been exhausting at work along with his daughter Leonie to construct a really distinctive electrical automobile known as the Batteryrunner that appears one thing like a cross between a Tesla Cybertruck and a Hummer. Not solely is that this all-aluminum (and I do imply all-aluminum) two-seater handmade, however it is usually powered by over ten Arduino improvement boards — a characteristic that the hobbyist group can actually respect.
The very distinctive speedometer (📷: Arduino)
The selection of a really sturdy aluminum materials and widely-available Arduino boards was about extra than simply the cool issue. This determination was made so that every part within the automobile will be individually changed, conserving the car on the street just about eternally. Whereas this determination is definite to maintain LORYC the world’s smallest automaker, it’s one thing to admire as a shopper.
Each a part of the Batteryrunner is a murals, proper all the way down to the speedometer, which is an Arduino Nano-powered mechanical gauge constructed from — you guessed it, aluminum sheets. CAN bus modules additionally help Arduino Mega 2560 and Arduino R4 boards in controlling every part from the dashboard to lights and blinkers. Arduinos additionally handle a 400-volt battery system and a Tesla drive unit.
Batteryrunner’s steering wheel (📷: Arduino)
Charly and Leonie have plans to proceed upgrading the car sooner or later. They’re contemplating, for instance, integrating an Arduino GIGA R1 WiFi and GIGA Show Protect into the construct for an upgraded infotainment system. Some extra superior options, like automated parking, may additionally be in retailer for the Batteryrunner sooner or later.
In contrast to plenty of maker initiatives, this one is greater than only a prototype. The Batteryrunner is street-legal and has already been pushed tons of of miles throughout Europe. That could be one small step for a maker, however it’s one large leap for makerkind.