KALAMAZOO, Mich. — A solar-powered automotive constructed totally by school college students is making ready to hit the street for an annual cross-country race.
The Western Michigan University Sunseeker Solar Car Project is a student-led group that designs, builds and races photo voltaic powered vehicles. The group competed in its first long-distance race in 1990.
This yr, the group hopes to qualify for the American Solar Challenge, a cross-country time/distance model race that begins on July 20, 2024 in Nashville, TN. For 8 days, college groups drove photo voltaic powered vehicles to the end line over 1300 miles away in Casper, Wyoming.
“There are extra colleagues, much less competitors and heads. Everyone simply desires to assist one another,” stated Alli Harmeyer, a rising senior engineering administration main at WMU. “It’s nice that we are able to join with everybody all over the world like that.”
This yr’s design, years within the making, is nearly full. When completed, the carbon fiber framed automotive can have a high pace of almost 100 mph and weigh about 350 kilos with out a driver.
“We selected to do a bullet design automotive this yr, which is the primary time shortly that we have performed that,” Harmeyer stated. “We are working with a automotive that’s half the load just about, which might imply twice the effectivity. So we’re trying ahead to having this new, thrilling automotive that could be very completely different from our final one.”
Top pace is not essentially the secret, although, however extra effectivity boosts.
“You’re attempting to increase your battery life by what your photo voltaic panels are supplying you with in your cost,” stated Maggie Waechter, a current aerospace engineering graduate. Waechter will likely be certainly one of 4 drivers within the upcoming competitors.
The candy spot the staff goals for is a pace of about 50 mph, which they name break-even pace. Under good climate situations, the quantity of vitality coming from the photo voltaic panels matches the quantity launched by the automotive’s battery.
The whole car was designed and constructed from the bottom up by a staff of about 40 college students, made up largely of undergraduate engineering college students. Even the photo voltaic panels are made in-house, one thing many different groups outsource.
Drivers should have a specific amount of water out there always. Being in a really compact driver’s seat with out AC is an ordeal in itself.
“This yr we have now a completely enclosed cover, so it is going to be hotter right here,” Waechter stated. “It’s July, so it is going to be hotter general in Tennessee.”
Drivers often shift round 3 to 4 hours, relying on the situations and security checks put in place by the staff.
The final time WMU’s Sunseeker staff competed within the American Solar Challenge race was in 2018. For the scholars who’re a part of the staff in the present day, this yr’s race will assist proceed a robust legacy.
“I’m actually impressed with the innovation drive that this mission has been doing for many years at this level,” Harmeyer stated.
“The palms on facet of studying learn how to construct a whole automotive from scratch; That’s not one thing I believed was within the playing cards for me,” Waechter stated. “It’s one thing very particular to even be part of one thing like this, not to mention drive and race. “
The staff will first race on the Formula Sun Grand Prix, scheduled for July 16-18 in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It was a observe race held on the National Corvette Museum Motorsports Park, and served as a qualifier for the American Solar Challenge only a few days earlier.
The schedule of legs for the 2024 American Solar Challenge is:
- July 20: Starting from Nashville, TN to Paducah, KY
- July 21: Paducah, KY to Edwardsville, IL
- July 22: Edwardsville, IL to Jefferson City, MO
- July 23: Jefferson City, MO to Independence, MO to St. Joseph, MO
- July 24: St. Joseph, MO to Beatrice, NE
- July 25: Beatrice, NE to Kearney, NE
- July 26: Kearney, NE to Gering, NE
- July 27: Gering, NE ending in Casper, WY
Follow meteorologist Will Haenni on Facebook, X & Instagram. Got a narrative thought? Email Will at wchaenni@sbgtv.com.