Human-powered transport is often the only type available in underdeveloped or inaccessible parts of the world, and if well designed, can be an increasingly viable form of sustainable transportation. ASME's international Human Powered Vehicle Challenge (HPVC) provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate the application of sound engineering design principles in the development of sustainable
and practical transportation alternatives.In the HPVC, students work in teams to design and build efficient, highly engineered vehicles for everyday use—from commuting to work, to carrying goods to market. With the onset of rise in energy costs, depletion of natural resources and increase in demand for comfortable transport, the world is gearing up towards human-powered vehicles. Although motorization has increased speed and load bearing capacity, an indefinite form of human powered transport remain popular for reasons of lower cost, leisure, physical exercise and economic, environmentalism; bicycle being the most efficient human powered vehicle.
