HydroBike

Our team designed, fabricated, and tested a human powered hydraulic vehicle for the 2026 NFPA Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge. The primary goals of the project were simplicity, innovation, and reliability. The final vehicle was designed as a tricycle platform utilizing a closed loop hydraulic drivetrain consisting of a hydraulic pump, motor, accumulator, and regenerative braking system. Unlike many previous competition vehicles that relied on fixed gear ratios, our design incorporated a 7-speed transmission, allowing the rider to better optimize performance across sprint, endurance, and efficiency events. The vehicle was developed to demonstrate the capabilities of hydraulic power transmission while maintaining a lightweight, serviceable, and competition ready design.

A major engineering challenge involved the implementation of regenerative braking with a freewheel hub system. To overcome this issue, the team designed and manufactured a custom locking mechanism that engaged the drivetrain during regenerative braking to allow energy recovery into the accumulator. In addition to the hydraulic system, the team designed and manufactured custom mounting plates, controls, electrical and button boxes, and a custom manifold to integrate the vehicle systems. Extensive testing was performed to optimize accumulator pre charge pressures for different competition objectives, including sprint speed, regenerative braking, and efficiency. Through the project, the team gained significant hands-on experience in hydraulic systems, manufacturing, testing, and iterative engineering design while developing a fully functional and competitive hydraulic vehicle platform.