Formula SAE Electric Vehicle Simulation

This project is a physics-based simulation of a Formula SAE electric race car, written in Python using Pygame and Matplotlib. It models vehicle acceleration, power limiting, and driver controls, allowing you to tune parameters and visualize performance such as 0-60 mph times.

Features

• Realistic vehicle physics (mass, torque, gear ratio, drag, friction)
• Power limiting logic (FSAE 80kW rule, with PID control)
• Driver input: throttle, brake, and steering (keyboard controlled)
• Real-time plots of speed, throttle, and brake
• 0-60 mph timer for benchmarking acceleration
• Data logging to CSV for further analysis

Controls

• W: Throttle (hold for acceleration)
• S: Brake
• A/D: Steering left/right

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Python 3.8+
• pygame, matplotlib

Install dependencies:

pip install pygame matplotlib

Running the Simulation

python main.py

A window will open showing the car, real-time plots, and on-screen info. Use the controls above to drive the car.

Configuration

Edit car_config.py to match your car's specs:

MASS                 = 180        # kg (car + driver)
WHEEL_RADIUS         = 0.254      # m (10 in)
GEAR_RATIO           = 6.0        # final-drive * diff
MOTOR_MAX_TORQUE     = 220        # Nm (peak)
MOTOR_MAX_RPM        = 6500       # rpm (peak power)
PACK_NOMINAL_VOLTAGE = 830        # V
PACK_SAG_RESISTANCE  = 0.015      # Ω

Edit PowerLimiter.py for power rules:

self.target_kw = 80  # FSAE rule (max 80kW at wheels)

Tuning for Realism

• Use your motor's peak torque for sprints, continuous torque for endurance.
• Adjust gear ratio for your desired top speed and acceleration.
• Lower rolling friction and air drag for less resistance.
• Use the 0-60 mph timer to benchmark changes.

Data Logging

Simulation results are logged to a CSV file (e.g., vehicle_data_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.csv) for post-run analysis.

Troubleshooting

• If 0-60 mph is too slow, check:
  • Power limiter settings
  • Throttle input (hold W)
  • Motor torque and gear ratio
  • Vehicle mass and friction/drag
• Use debug prints in vehicle.py to see torque, power, and acceleration in real time.

License

MIT License

Credits

• Formula SAE community for inspiration
• Open source Python libraries: Pygame, Matplotlib