30 September 1994 Solar Powered Car Race

A project to design and race solar-powered cars comes to completion next week, for fourth year Natural Resources Engineering students at Lincoln University. The race will take place at Wigram Air Force Base during the week 3-7 October, using the first good sunny day of the week.

The concept for the cars and race is modelled on the Australian World Solar Challenge - a solar-powered car race from Darwin to Adelaide held every second year. Our competition is on a much much smaller scale, especially the budget involved. The 20 students in the class have been divided into two groups and have worked quite independently of each other. Project planning and design of the cars started in March, the designs were completed in June and construction of the cars took place from July, and may never be properly completed. As well as the much smaller budget, the speeds are similarly lower. The Australian cars can use 5 square metres of solar panels, ours are limited to 2 square metres. Top speeds for the Australian cars are over 100 kph, the two Lincoln cars were anticipated at 20-30 kph, but in reality may be 15 to 20 kph.

Although the project and race was originally intended for these students only, one outside competitor has built another car within the same constraints, as a prelude to a possible future Australian entry.

Each student team has been provided with the same solar panels, an allocation of technician time with the Natural Resources Engineering Department workshop to construct the major parts of the vehicles, and a limit of $1,000 for all other materials, electric motor, etc. At least one person must be carried (minimum weight 70 kg), and the only energy source allowed to power the cars are the solar panels.

The participating students are studying towards a degree in Natural Resources Engineering -the overall thrust of this degree being the wise and sustainable development and use of our natural resources. Hopefully the project will give them some real hands-on experience of energy resource assessment, research, testing and design, project implementation and management, construction - all with an element of competition involved. It is intended to be a fun, learning experience.

The actual day we run the race during the week will depend on there being plenty of sunshine. The plan is to make a decision at approximately 9.30 a.m. each morning as to whether that particular day is O.K. or not. If you are interested in coming along for all part of the high speed thrills and spills of these solar cars racing, then please let me know and somebody will contact you on the morning that we proceed.

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand.