Saimon and Leo stepped into the Luxent Hotel on January 15, 2019, their eyes immediately drawn to the sleek marble floors and sparkling chandeliers. The reception area buzzed with activity as guests moved about, and the two couldn't help but look around in awe.
"Dude, this place is insane," Leo whispered, nudging Saimon. "How does Matthew afford this?"
"No idea," Saimon replied, adjusting his glasses as he craned his neck to take in the high ceilings. "I thought he was broke after getting cut off by his dad."
"Well, he clearly didn't tell us the whole story," Leo said with a smirk. "Maybe he won the lottery or something."
They spotted Matthew sitting casually in the lobby, scrolling through his phone. He wore a crisp polo shirt and jeans, looking far more relaxed than they'd expected for someone about to defend an ambitious project like an electric vehicle.
"Look at this guy," Leo said, shaking his head as they approached. "Living the life, huh?"
Matthew looked up, grinning when he saw them. "You guys finally made it. What took you so long?"
"Traffic," Saimon said, rolling his eyes. "You know how Manila is."
"And maybe we got a little distracted by this crazy hotel," Leo added, gesturing around. "Man, are you sure we're in the right place? This doesn't scream 'broke student.'"
Matthew laughed, standing up to greet them. "Don't worry about it. I told you, I've got things covered. And for the record, I'm not broke—I've just learned how to prioritize."
"Prioritize what?" Saimon asked, crossing his arms. "Expensive hotel rooms?"
"Come on, it's not that expensive," Matthew said, waving him off. "Besides, we need a quiet place to work."
"Right," Leo said with a chuckle. "If you say so, Mr. Fancy Hotel."
"Alright, alright, enough teasing," Matthew said, clapping his hands. "Let's head up to my room and get started. We've got a lot to cover."
They followed Matthew to the elevator, still whispering to each other about the sheer luxury of the place. As the elevator doors closed, Saimon couldn't resist one last comment.
"You know, if this whole EV thing doesn't work out, at least we'll have had a taste of the good life."
Matthew smirked. "Don't worry—it's going to work out. Let's just focus and make it happen."
With a ding, the elevator doors slid open, revealing a plush carpeted hallway with ornate lighting. Saimon and Leo stepped out behind Matthew, still glancing around like tourists in a high-end museum.
"You weren't kidding about this being quiet," Saimon muttered. "I feel like we're in a CEO's private wing or something."
"Yeah, where's the butler to open the doors for us?" Leo joked.
Matthew chuckled, pulling a keycard out of his pocket. "No butlers, just me. Room 1210." He swiped the card and pushed the door open, gesturing for them to enter.
Inside, the room was just as impressive as the lobby. A large window showcased a panoramic view of the city skyline, while a sleek workstation with a large monitor was set up near the corner. On the desk, a stack of papers, a laptop, and a USB drive sat neatly organized.
"Damn," Leo said, walking in and spinning around slowly. "This is next level, man. You've got the view, the setup… Everything."
Saimon plopped onto the couch, sinking into the soft cushions. "I could get used to this. You sure we're not being charged extra just for breathing in here?"
Matthew rolled his eyes and set his bag down on the desk. "Can we focus now? We've got a lot of work to do before Samantha gets here."
"Yeah, yeah," Saimon said, waving a hand. "Let's get started."
Leo walked over to the desk, peering at the stack of papers. "So, this is the master plan, huh? All the secrets to building an EV?"
Matthew nodded, plugging the USB into his laptop and booting it up. "Pretty much. I've compiled everything we'll need—design schematics, material lists, cost breakdowns, and even a timeline for the prototype. If we stick to this, we can pull it off."
"Assuming Calerio doesn't rip us apart during the defense," Saimon said skeptically.
Matthew glanced at him. "That's why we're here. Preparation. If we know our stuff, he won't have a reason to fail us."
Leo leaned over, studying the schematics on the screen. "Okay, this looks legit. But where do we even start? Like, what's step one?"
"Step one," Matthew said, sitting down and opening a document, "is familiarizing ourselves of what EV is…I have a question for both of you…what is an electric vehicle and how do you think it works?"
Saimon adjusted his glasses, sitting up straighter on the couch. "That's easy. An electric vehicle is, uh... a car that runs on batteries instead of fuel. Right?"
"Yeah, and," Leo chimed in, scratching the back of his head, "it's like, the battery powers the wheels or something... through wires? I don't know, some kind of motor magic."
Matthew stared at them, his eyebrows raised. "Motor magic? Seriously, Leo?"
"What?" Leo shrugged defensively. "That's pretty much it, right?"
Saimon chuckled nervously. "Okay, maybe we're oversimplifying, but isn't that the gist?"
Matthew sighed and leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. "Alright, listen up, you two. Let me explain this like I'm talking to a couple of toddlers, because apparently, that's where we're at."
Leo smirked. "Bring it on, Professor Matthew."
Matthew grabbed a marker and a blank sheet of paper, placing it on the desk. He quickly sketched a basic diagram of an EV. "An electric vehicle, or EV, has three main components you need to understand: the battery pack, the electric motor, and the controller."
Saimon leaned in, squinting at the sketch. "Alright, go on."
Matthew pointed to the battery pack in the drawing. "The battery is the heart of the EV. It stores energy, just like the fuel tank stores gas in a traditional car. But instead of gasoline, we're dealing with electricity, usually stored in lithium-ion batteries."
"Okay, batteries. Got it," Leo said, nodding.
Matthew then pointed to the electric motor. "Next, the electric motor. This is what converts electrical energy from the battery into mechanical energy to move the car. Think of it as the engine in a regular car, except it's way more efficient and has fewer moving parts."
"And that's what powers the wheels?" Saimon asked.
"Exactly," Matthew said. "Now, here's where it gets interesting: the controller." He circled the controller in his drawing. "The controller acts like the car's brain. It manages the flow of electricity from the battery to the motor. When you press the accelerator, the controller determines how much power the motor needs and sends the right amount of current."
"So, it's like a middleman between the battery and the motor?" Leo said, his expression finally showing some comprehension.
"Bingo," Matthew said with a smirk. "The controller ensures that the car accelerates smoothly and efficiently. Without it, the system wouldn't work."
Saimon raised a hand like a student in class. "Wait, what about regenerative braking? Isn't that a thing with EVs?"
Matthew nodded, looking impressed. "Good question. Regenerative braking is when the electric motor works in reverse to slow the car down and generates electricity in the process, sending it back to the battery. It's one of the reasons EVs are so energy-efficient."
Leo let out a low whistle. "Man, this is more complicated than I thought."
Matthew chuckled. "That's why we're starting from the basics. You guys need to understand how this works if we're going to convince Calerio and the panel that we can pull this off."
Saimon nodded slowly. "Okay, fair enough. So, what's next?"
"Next," Matthew said, leaning forward, "we are going to need your family's help. Saimon, your father owns a car repair shop, right? And you, Leo, your dad runs a hardware and construction supply business, correct?"
Saimon nodded slowly. "Yeah, my dad's shop has been fixing cars for years. Why?"
Leo tilted his head, catching on. "Wait, are you saying you want to use my dad's connections for materials or something?"
"Exactly," Matthew said, pointing the marker at Leo like a teacher acknowledging a correct answer. "Between the two of you, we have access to tools, equipment, and maybe even some parts we can use to build our prototype."
Saimon frowned, leaning back. "Hold up. You want me to ask my dad for help with this? Do you know how much of a skeptic he is? The second I tell him we're building an EV, he's going to laugh me out of the house."
"And my dad's not exactly the type to give away materials for free," Leo added. "He's all about business, you know?"
"Don't worry about it, the moment we explain our situation, they'll understand surely."
"Okay okay…" Saimon stopped Matthew. "But aren't we missing something? Why are we building an EV? Aren't we supposed to be preparing for the defense next week?"
"I don't care about the defense, we can pass it easily," Matthew said. "My concern is building the EV."
"Ahh…I see," Saimon let out an understanding sigh.
"Okay then…what are the materials we are going to need to make this EV?" Saimon asked.