Ultium Biolectric
A charging port powered by a manure-to-electricity system for electric farm vehicles. Designed for General Motor’s sponsored course with the brief of charging their Ultium EVs (electric vehicles).
Identifying Persona & User Needs
Say “hello” to Randy Jordan. He is the farm manager of Jordan Dairy Farms & he owns over 300 cows.
You might wonder why it matters that Randy raises cows. They are the crucial starting point for the waste-to-energy, farm-to-fleet, field-to-fuel system that I am proposing.
Cow manure is problematic. This system, which currently exists & is being implemented globally, converts methane into renewable, clean electricity.
System Overview
In short:
The cow produces waste.
Waste is dumped into a manure collector.
Waste is funneled below ground into an anaerobic biodigestor.
Waste is converted into biomethane gas & rises toward the combustion engine and power generator.
Electricity is produced & wired to different charging ports on the farm!
The final charging port is made of weatherproof galvanized steel for durability, patina with aging & a semi-reflective surface for integrating with farm landscapes.
The Biolectric Design Suite
The overall Ultium Biolectric system consists of the pre-fab manure collector, underground anaerobic biodigestor, power generator & port. In a field or pasture, the objects can be set up however the farmer sees fit and wired to various ports. The form aesthetic is modeled after the visual vernacular and historic graphic identity of silos and other traditional farm infrastructure.
The charger is a J1772 Type 1 connector type with an ergonomic textured rubber grip (for sweaty or gloved hands!). Within the charging port’s shell is a 20 ft. retractable cable for reaching vehicles in versatile, cumbersome, and tricky terrain.
“Being able to utilize our own manure to power the system would be amazing, especially for a dairy farm. We would really love a charging station by the house, by the barn and on the farm.”
My former boss, Marleen van Gülick, from Beavertides Farm in Falls Village, CT.
EVs are only as clean as their power supply.
The Ultium Biolectric farm of the future sees a circular pasture-to-power system for fueling Ultium’s future lines of electric utility vehicles, pick-up trucks, and even ultimately ag robotics & heavy-duty electric tractors.
A truly green biolectric future - is one that takes waste and creates new value. This ethos illustrates American grit & inventiveness: two ideals innately tied to the historical significance of the GM brand.
