Solar car racing
These races are often sponsored by government or educational agencies,[citation needed] and businesses such as Toyota[1] keen to promote renewable energy sources.
Behind the mission control there might be one or more other vehicles carrying replacement drivers and maintenance support as well as supplies and camping equipment for the entire team.
Major regulation changes were released in June 2006 for this race to increase safety, to build a new generation of solar car, which with little modification could be the basis for a practical proposition for sustainable transport and intended to slow down cars in the main event, which could easily exceed the speed limit (110 km/h) in previous years.
[2] The Dutch TU Eindhoven solar racing team were the inaugural Cruiser Class winner with their vehicle Stella.
The Solar Car Challenge is an annual event that fosters education and innovation in renewable energy by engaging high school students in the design, engineering, and racing of solar-powered vehicles.
Founded in 1989[6] by Dr. Lehman Marks, the challenge has grown to become a premier educational program, combining science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) principles with hands-on experience.
Participants are tasked with building and racing solar cars, allowing them to apply theoretical knowledge to practical problems while promoting sustainable technology and teamwork.
Held over several days, the Solar Car Challenge typically includes a cross-country race or a track event, depending on the year.
The event draws teams from across the United States and occasionally international participants, fostering a spirit of friendly competition and collaboration.
Beyond the race itself, the Solar Car Challenge provides extensive educational resources, workshops, and mentorship to help students succeed.
This competition not only highlights the potential of solar energy but also inspires the next generation of engineers, scientists, and environmentally-conscious citizens.
Currently, a solar drag race is held each year on the Saturday closest to the summer solstice in Wenatchee, Washington, USA.
The world record for this event is 29.5 seconds set by the South Whidbey High School team on June 23, 2007.
[8] Solar vehicle technology can be applied on a small scale, which makes it ideal for educational purposes in the STEM areas.
The goal of the challenge is to provide students with an experience of what it is like to work in STEM and to understand what can be achieved with renewable technology.
The project also teaches students how the engineering process is applied, and how solar panels, transmission, and aerodynamics can be used in practice.
In July, 2014, a group of Australian students from the UNSW Sunswift solar racing team at the University of New South Wales broke a world record in their solar car, for the fastest electric car weighing less than 500 kilograms (1,100 lb) and capable of travelling 500 kilometres (310 mi) on a single battery charge.
The record takes place over a flying 500 metres (1,600 ft) stretch, and is the average of two runs in opposite directions.
Hans Tholstrup (the founder of the World Solar Challenge) first completed this journey in The Quiet Achiever in under 20 days in 1983.
These rules limit the energy used to only that collected from solar radiation, albeit starting with a fully charged battery pack.
As a result, optimizing the design to account for aerodynamic drag, vehicle weight, rolling resistance and electrical efficiency are paramount.
A usual design for today's successful vehicles is a small canopy in the middle of a curved wing-like array, entirely covered in cells, with 3 wheels.
The battery pack stores surplus solar energy produced when the vehicle is stationary or travelling slowly or downhill.
These are brushless three-"phase" DC, electronically commutated, wheel motors, with a Halbach array configuration for the neodymium-iron-boron magnets, and Litz wire for the windings.
Designers normally use aluminium, titanium and composites to provide a structure that meets strength and stiffness requirements whilst being fairly light.
The major design factors for steering systems are efficiency, reliability and precision alignment to minimize tire wear and power loss.
Another consideration is that the battery itself can force current backward through the array unless there are blocking diodes put at the end of each panel.
A light vehicle generates less rolling resistance and will need smaller lighter brakes and other suspension components.
Combined with CAE and systems modeling, the power equation can be a useful tool in solar car design.
In contrast, an east-west race alignment might reduce the benefit from having cells on the side of the vehicle, and thus might encourage design of a flat array.
