Cambridge University Eco Racing's Resolution Solar Car

Published: Monday, August 5, 2013, 17:11 [IST]

Cambridge University Eco Racing (CUER), a student racing team, has revealed the ‘Resolution', a prototype solar racer that will take part in the 2013 World Solar Challenge. If it wins, the CUER will become the first British team to get the world title.

What's unique about the Resolution is its design, which unlike vehicles from most other teams, does not incorporate solar panels in its construction. Instead, it houses them inside. Also, the Resolution is designed to track the movement of the Sun in the sky.

Resolution, a solar car developed by engineering students of Cambridge University, has solar panels enclosed within a transparent body. This allowed the students give the ‘car' a teardrop shape, which reduces drag and improves efficiency.

To maximise power generation the solar panels are placed on a tracking plat which tilts to track the position of the sun in the sky. This system maximises the energy captured by the cells, which according to the students, is an improvement of 20 percent over regularly placed solar panels.

Resolution is a four wheeled vehicle that measures 16.4 ft in length, 2.6 ft wide, 3.6 ft. The dimension of the vehicle limits the place in the cockpit, which has place enough for a driver no taller than 5ft 3 inches.

The Resolution may look like a delicate vehicle, but this 120kg solar racer is no slouch and can withstand the rigours of racing in the Australian outback at up to 140 km/h. You will be amazed to learn that Resolution can achieve that speed while using no more power than an electric hair dryer.

The cockpit houses all sorts of gauges providing information relating to weather, an ‘intelligent cruise control' which lets the team know the most efficient way to pilot the vehicle. The use of motors on the wheel hubs also help by negating the need for chains and differentials to transfer power.

The 2013 World Solar Challenge will be held between October 6 to 13. Teams will be seen covering 3,000 km, travelling from Darwin in Northern Australia to Adelaide, in the Southern coast.