The Vision
Through the examination of numerous research areas it has been determined that the next generation Sunstang will rethink the solar powered paradigm. As solar panels are much less expensive at a lower efficiency it is more cost effective to use more less efficient cells to produce energy. This idea will be employed as a residential solar charging station. The vehicle itself will integrate a removable battery system which will ensure a speedy charge time. One battery pack will always remain in the charging station while the other is being consumed by the vehicle. When the vehicle returns home, the battery systems will be swapped and the process can continue.
This system is intended as a bridging technology until a point where commercial battery stations are in place. Currently there is a large push towards the establishment of such systems where consumers will not own batteries but will simply pay a usage fee. This will significantly reduce the cost of ownership of electric vehicles. For more information on the future of electric vehicle systems, visit Project Better Place.
This system is intended as a bridging technology until a point where commercial battery stations are in place. Currently there is a large push towards the establishment of such systems where consumers will not own batteries but will simply pay a usage fee. This will significantly reduce the cost of ownership of electric vehicles. For more information on the future of electric vehicle systems, visit Project Better Place.
Rethinking the Solar Car
Solar Cell Efficiency to Cost Ratio
The idea of solar car racing was originally developed as a technical exercise with the interest of student engagement and exploring the potential of solar power in mind. Today’s solar race vehicles are nearing a technical saturation point in which little improvement can be made. In order to make the vehicles perform, solar panels need to grow in efficiency to capture the maximum amount of energy possible. As the graph on the left illustrates, the cost of solar panels grows nearly exponentially with an increase in efficiency. This creates major issues as it costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to capture the energy necessary for the race bred vehicles. To apply these technologies directly to a practical vehicle will be in vain. Even if solar panels reach a theoretical efficiency of 100%, the sun does not supply nearly enough energy to power a vehicle with traditional ancillaries such as heating, air conditioning and a radio.Average Commuting Distances
As it is known that vehicle mounted solar panels will not be able to supply the necessary power for infinite sustained travel, it has become time to decide how far a vehicle needs to travel. The main focus for this project is to create a vehicle that is practical for a single passenger that clarifies the difference between actual vehicle requirements and perceived needs. In order to properly determine what constitutes practicality for an urban commuter it is crucial to evaluate traffic patterns of highly developed areas. The cities of Toronto and Vancouver clearly demonstrate that the vast majority of drivers have a daily commuting distance of less than 60 km. This study proves that on a day to day basis a relatively short range is required to accommodate most drivers.
Potential Range Extension
It is now clearly known that vehicle mounted solar panels can not be the primary power supplier for a practical car. However, it is possible to explore the potential use of solar panels for the purpose of range extension. Through modeling vehicle parameters with a reasonable area of solar panels, the chart on the left was generated. At lower speeds there is a higher potential for range extension then at higher speeds. As an expansion of a vehicles range is more important at a higher rate of speed it was determined that solar panels are not to be used as a means of range extension.
