Sweet Briar College
Recently Sweet Briar College’s engineering seniors visited our shop to present their Preliminary Design Report on interior options for our Version 4 Very Light Car.
We were impressed with their capstone project: in a very thorough 22 page report, these smart and energetic young women presented 12 different seating layout options for review. With a neat numerical method, they had weighted and scored each layout’s attributes. Three favorites have emerged and work will continue on developing these ideas.
But that’s not all.
Four very sharp Sweet Briar business students are completing their capstone by putting together a business plan focused on niche identification for the next generation Very Light Car. This study will incorporate a market analysis, competitive and environmental scans, focus groups, surveys and high-level financial projections under various sets of cost and demand assumptions. As a start these young women spent some time with the very light car at the DC Auto Show.
Sweet Briar’s Latin motto is Rosam quae meruit ferat, which translates as She who earns the rose may bear it. These students are earning their rose and we are appreciative of the efforts of Engineering Professor Bethany Brinkman and Business Professor Tom Scott in helping create this opportunity. Edison2 is proud to partner with this modern and forward-thinking college and see this as only the beginning.
Schools
Reader Comments (3)
Great information and post, I really would like to see the end study of the market research that they are getting.
Niche identification, sounds like a winner, because most people will be too afraid to jump in the water without a few brave souls venturing first. Basically, most people have to see it to believe it. So, if the car is drastically different, it may take people some getting used to. GM's H2 was supposed to be a niche market, and then look what happened, hummers everywhere. The same thing could happen here, since there is one truth that sticks out. Of all of the current big auto-manufacturers, none of them have something getting better mileage than a Prius, but they all have SUVs now don't they? I remember when SUVs first came out hearing everyone saying, they aren't safe, they'll tip over easier than an empty shampoo bottle, they won't stop quick enough, and despite all of that, many people are buying them now comfortable in the knowledge that because other people have them, they are safe. Now are they really safe? The truth is it depends on the driver.
830 pounds !! the major auto companies don't seem to care much about fuel economy,unless it's hurts them in the pocket.Most exec's can afford 4 dollars a gallon,even 10 dollars a gallon wouldn't cut much into there high salaries.But for the mere mortals,like myself,it's hurts.We don't need 3,000 -4000 pound cars,that need 300 hp to move them around.I hope we see light weight efficient vehicles real soon,now that the cat's out of the box.