Preamble
With the advent of global warning looming over, the automotive industry decided to act on its own. This industry began building solar powered vehicles such as motorbikes long back. The latest to join this list is the solar car. Used for land transport this solar powered vehicle consists of an array of photovoltaic solar cells converting the energy of the sunlight into electrical energy. From being a mere a land transport solar cars have gone one notch up by participating in races. The concept of solar car racing surfaced in the year 1985, and in the same year the first solar car race called the Tour de Sol was held.
The Team CUER and the World Solar Challenge
Over the years, number of high school students groups began participating in solar car races. These races were meant to improve students’ technological and engineering skills. One such student group is the Cambridge University Eco Racing (CUER). It was founded in 2007 and is made up of 60 confident and strong students who specialize in designing, building and racing solar powered vehicles. Since its inception in 2007, CUER has participated in various car race competitions and now is a regular face in the biennial World Solar Challenge becoming the first British team to achieve this feat.
The Cambridge team is currently preparing themselves for the 2013 edition of the World Solar Challenge. The team participated the 2009 and the 2011 edition of the challenge capturing places of 14th and 25th respectively. The Endeavour that raced in both the races will not be competing in 2013. Instead, the team began working on a new solar car with improved mechanisms with sole motive to win the 2013 challenge, a 3,000 kilometer race across Australia. The radical new solar car design named as Daphne was officially launched to the public and is currently is being built at rapid speed.
The primary aim of CUER is to the 2013 challenge. To achieve this, the team is building a car that showcases the latest in cutting-edge sustainable engineering. This change was in the wake of the recent rule change that eliminated two-wheeled deigns for the World Solar Challenge, 2013. After building a prototype for over a year, CUER is all to set go on the track with its latest game-changing innovation. Automotive industry experts and leading academics belonging to the field have expressed their full confidence state the CUER has good chance of winning next year’s challenge.
The Kickstarter initiative and the Launch
CUER has partnered with most of the leading European, British and International automotive companies to produce the components requited to complete their solar car. Still, the team requires more funds to buy other necessary components and the team is currently in the process of raising funds through the “kickstarter” initiative. The raised funds aim to train, support and equip the team through the 1864 mile road from north to South Australia. The car launch was held at Queens’ college after a press conference was the held the previous night, gaining extensive publicity and support from formula -one celebrity, media and various industries.
The launch was felicitated by Professor Tony Purnell, the former principal of the Jaguar Racing team, Dr Ivor Grayson-Smith, a World Solar Challenge judge and the Red Bull Racing team. The race is to be held next from next October 6th to 13th with nearly 40 teams participating in the challenge. CUER’s design is 30 kilograms lighter than other vehicles that enter the challenge. Fans of the team have already begun to twitter about the design of the new solar car.
CUER’s sole aim is to inspire and innovate. Building racing solar powered cars is an innovative way adopted by them to inspire students and others about the importance of renewable energy. It is high time that people take a cue from this young team to conserve energy, making the roads a happier place to drive.
