Solar Powered Nuna5 Racecar Unveiled
by Jorge Chapa, 06/30/09
Delft University recently unveiled a sleek solar-powered vehicle that they hope will score them their fifth trophy in the World Solar Challenge race. Dubbed the Nuna5, the vehicle is entirely propelled by the sun’s rays, and is designed to cross one of the most difficult terrains on the planet, the Australian outback. Think that your fossil fuel vehicle is up to the task? These students know that theirs is!
The World Solar Challenge is probably the toughest race in the world. sure Le Mans runs for a full 24 hours, but the racers don’t need to rest in a tent, in the middle of the outback. The race is 3000km long, takes place between Adelaide and Darwin, and runs pretty much straight through the Australian desert. This year, to make the race more interesting, vehicles are required to have regular tires, which create more drag and thus make it more difficult to achieve the incredible level of efficiency required to win the race.
Delft University has a lot to prove, and they look ready for the challenge. Like its predecesor the Nuna4, the vehicle is covered in 6 square meters of solar panels and comes equipped with a battery used for storing excess electricity (which can be used to give a little bit of extra juice for a tad more speed). The car’s weight has been reduced by 30 kilos compared against the previous model, for a total of 160 kilos.
The World Solar Challenge will be held on the 25th of October and will run for several days. We shall keep you updated.
Via Ecofriend
Yep, we’re proud of the Dutch Solar Team. They go for the fifth victory in a row. Beautiful new car. Here are some videos: http://www.stichtingmilieunet.nl/andersbekekenblog/?p=280
But we have another great team from the Netherlands with the 21revolution: http://www.stichtingmilieunet.nl/andersbekekenblog/?p=7853