Battery Buggy

Division:Div B – Middle SchoolNC Essential Standards Alignment:Science as Inquiry, 7.P.2, PSc.1.1., Phy.1.1, Phy.1.2Event Rules:See the National Rules ManualEvent Score Sheet:2019 Battery Buggy Score Sheet (updated 2/5/19)

2019 Battery Buggy Team ChecklistNational Event Page:HereRequired Materials:Participants must bring and impound a vehicle, batteries, additional/spare parts, and a Practice LogClarifications:NC Only: Competitors will be required to wear safety glasses when in the testing area.

Rule 3-e states “An approximately 1/4″ diameter wooden dowel must be attached…”  In NC, that will be interpreted as  “a 1/4″ +/- 1/8″ diameter wooden dowel” (updated 1/23/19)

Description:

This is a construction event. Prior to the competition teams will build a vehicle that uses electrical energy as its sole means of propulsion, quickly travels a specified distance, and stops as close as possible to a Target Point.

Materials:

Participants must bring and impound a vehicle, batteries, additional/spare parts, and a Practice Log. Participants may bring but need not impound tools, measuring devices, and a stand-alone calculator
of any type.

Event Leaders will provide the testing track and measuring apparatus.

Scoring:

Low score wins.  The Final Score is the better of 2 runs.

Common Mistakes:

– Be careful not to exceed the maximum allowed voltage. This is cause for disqualification.
– At any given tournament, approximately 1/3 of the vehicles are penalized for construction violations. This is something easy to avoid.
– Be sure to bring your practice log labeled correctly and measuring at least 3 parameters.

Recommendations:

Here is a track layout diagram.

Event Resources:

 Battery Buggy 2019 Coaches Clinic Presentation (2018 Rules)

Media:

None2018 Battery Buggy track explanation2011 Battery Buggy demo 12011 Battery Buggy demo 2. While this is a good run, this battery buggy has several violations and will finish in a lower tier. The fixed point on the buggy must be on the front of the vehicle, not on the side (a construction violation), and competitors must actuate the switch with an object such as a pen, dowel, etc, not their finger (a run violation). This buggy will be in tier 3 as a result.2011 Battery Buggy demo 3. Great run.From 2010 tournament. The 2011 rules require the Battery Buggy to curve around a bucket placed in the center of the track.This is from the High School version of the Battery Buggy event, Electric Vehicle. Note how the team prepares their vehicle and aligns it using the scope. For 2011, Battery Buggy requires the vehicles to curve around a bucket in the center of the track as they travel.