The ZenDuro project is part of Zero Emissions Noosa Inc's Race to Zero program, funded by Noosa Council. It is a practical application of energy use and energy efficiency for transport using Radio Controlled cars and it also introduces students to the concept of swappable batteries as a power source for EVs.

We started with the swappable battery concept that Gogoro operates in Taiwan and applied that thinking to our situation - the community battery concept. We are trying to prove  that you could drive to almost anywhere in Queensland in an EV with swappable battery, if there were enough community that used this swappable model.

The advantage of this system is it's fast - no waiting.

Our research used radio controlled [RC] Ferraris [1:14 scale] and a Kombi Ute to add the fun. Learning how to test voltage and approximately how far we could go was part of the knowledge necessary to make the project work.

We used the theory that a 15kg battery with an energy density of .33kWh would get approx 35km of range in an EV with an efficiency of 7km per kWh.

If we could swap/load 6 batteries into our EV which would have its own onboard battery [100km] we could go about 200km between swaps and up to 300km if necessary.

We planned 4 routes;

- North to Cairns [1600km]

- Outback to Charleville [800km]

- Regional Roundtrip [2000km]

- Sydney Surf trip

Researching these routes, the class found where it would be necessary to stop and which communities could support this transportation idea.

As a follow up to the project SBSS yr6 HB checked out a small camper van, did some research, created a list and built camper 'add ons' for the Ferrari and the Kombi.

Camper construction was at scale with cardboard and the trailer was standard - just add details!

Included with the campers were some solar to help towards self sufficiency.

To finish and celebrate the project, the results and the fun we shared some watermelon.