It could just have been a hairdryer. Instead, Cambridge University students have created a solar-powered racing car that uses the same power as an ordinary hairdryer.
The car, which is one of the projects marking Cambridge University’s 800th anniversary, was unveiled by F1 World Championship leader Jenson Button at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
“There’s some very impressive technology in this racing car. It may be a world away from an F1 car in terms of power, but to get a car to drive at 60mph using two horsepower takes cutting-edge engineering,” Button said.
The 170-kg car, called Endeavour after Captain Cook’s ship, is powered by solar energy captured by a 6m² covering of high-efficiency silicon cells. The car’s aerodynamics, rolling resistance, weight and electrical efficiency have all been optimised to minimise its energy requirements and it is also fitted with an energy-efficient hub motor, a control system to provide battery management and an electric braking system which generates energy.
Some 75 Cambridge students were involved in designing or building the car. Student team Cambridge University Eco Racing will enter for the car for Global Green Challenge – a gruelling 3,000km race straight across the Australian Outback from Darwin to Adelaide this autumn. Four student drivers will pilot the vehicle across the Outback, working in four-hour shifts to cope with the intense heat.
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