Tsikot Solar Car Race - A Proposal

[donbuggy]

I propose that we Tsikoteers organize a solar car race in the Philippines for students. At present, solar cars are very expensive. This makes building a solar car and entering it in a race attainable only for a select few, even with sponsors. What I'm suggesting is a LOW COST solar car race (LCSCR) that even poor students from lesser known schools can enter.

Characteristics of a low cost solar car race:

1) Instead of each solar car having its own set of solar panels, electric motors and controllers, the participants in the LCSCR will use interchangeable solar panels, motors and controllers. The whole race (and future races) will require only two sets of these components. It will be up to the student participants to design and fabricate a full-size drivable solar car around these
components. The solar car can be made of any material, using whatever layout and number of wheels (minimum three wheels for stability), and any drivetrain chosen by the student designers. The Tsikot organizing committee will have to come up with the specifications for the solar panels, electric motors and controllers. The money needed to purchase these components will be raised by Tsikot through sponsorship and TV rights (reality TV show?).

2) The solar cars will run directly on solar power. To lower the cost, there will be no storage batteries in the cars. Consequently, the LCSCR will have to be scheduled on a sunny day.

3) The solar cars will be racing two at a time on identical but separate tracks, drag race style (although instead of the track being a straight line, a few curves can be added to make things more interesting). After which, the solar panels, motors and controllers will be transferred to the next two racers and so on. Wining cars will go on to the next round. The layout of the track, the time and the place of the race will be decided by Tsikot after consultation with the participating schools.

4) A Tsikot judging committee will scrutinize each entry before the race and will disqualify those which have designs that are unsafe, designs that may cause damage to the solar panels/motors/controllers, or those which have power sources other than the required solar panels. The solar panels/motors/controllers are not to be used to support the solar car's structure.

Reasons for organizing a solar car race in the Philippines:

1) Students will learn more about alternative energy sources and engineering principles (strength of materials, machine design, kinematics, etc.) by designing and fabricating their own full size solar car.

2) Students from foreign schools can also join the competition. Elimination races organized by overseas Tsikoteers can be held at other countries using the same two sets of solar panels/motors/controllers or additional sets of solar panels/motors/controllers. Foreign entries that pass through elimination rounds in their countries will then go to the Philippines for the grand finals. This event will give the Philippines a positive image and boost tourism.

I believe this LCSCR will be the first of its kind in the Philippines or maybe in the whole world. Come on Tsikoteers, what do you say? Let's make history.

[jedi]

wow, interesting ito ah... wala bang may mabuting loob na gustong magsponsor nito?

[ehnriko]

Heard of the X-Prize competition? -

SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) have been holding races like these for years...

They have competitors from all over the world... mostly college departments of transportation design and engineering.

check out SAE... they have videos also in You Tube about these type of races.

We can pattern it there.

For Solar Powered Car Races - Drag Racing isn't really appropriate for that but - a circuit race or rally would be better.

For Drag Racing... Electric Cars is best... since - the fastest electric car right now is the X-1 and the TESLA Speedster - 0-60 in 3 seconds.

Check it out... in You tube - Electric Car X1 beating a Porsche Cayman and a Ferrari Modena in the Drag Strip.

Of course its' using Lithium Ion Batteries similar to laptop computers.... Unless we have that technology available here and if the cost is not prohibitive... it would be an exciting thing.

I believe the most practical type of race for Philippines is similar to the X-Prize Competition.

Wherein - 1 Gallon of Fuel is all the race car needs to have and the winner will be the one who gets the most mileage.... we can do this in Subic or Batangas Racing Circuit.

The Cars are powered by a 1 Liter engine - similar to those seen in scooters.. . Participants may chose to design their own chassis, drive train and contraption. We can have a Hybrid Category in this if you wish.

[ghosthunter]

Personally, you have to include the solar panels & onboard storage into the car's design. Those are essential components into making a real solar powered race car. Without a integrated solar panel & onboard power would just turn it into a big toy without much potential nor flexibility.

The solar panels have to be designed into the car and not be a separate module from the rest of the car since the car depends on a source of power that is very small, any advantage (like aero-dynamics, lightweight frame design, etc) will be needed to excel.

You also have to consider the solar panels would be a major component of the vehicle in terms of size. By making it a "optional" and modular system, the cars would simply end up unsafe by being mostly top heavy or too flimsy.

So instead of solar, why not just focus on electric powered racers? You can have two general categories: drag and circuit races. Extra points for cars that can enter both categories and still win.

[donbuggy]

Interchangeable solar panels will certainly result in a heavier and less aerodynamic vehicle compared to a vehicle with a built-in solar panel. But all participants will be using the same solar panels so they all have the same handicap. They should factor these limitations into their design. And they should think of ways to make the most of the small power produced by the panels. That's the challenge.

The point is to have a competition accessible to most students. The way to achieve this is to have low cost race cars. To have low cost race cars, parts must be interchangeable and reusable. The solar panel powered cars without batteries will be slow, but so are soap box derbies. So think of this solar car race as a soap box derby for the new millennium.

I'd like to see battery powered electric car races too. But then constructing these kind of vehicles might be more expensive. Electric cars will have their own battery packs which cost a lot. Fuel economy competitions of student designed vehicles could work. Tsikot should also look into this.

[ghosthunter]

I'd like to see battery powered electric car races too. But then constructing these kind of vehicles might be more expensive. Electric cars will have their own battery packs which cost a lot. Fuel economy competitions of student designed vehicles could work. Tsikot should also look into this.

You can limit the battery pack size but it would also be self defeating to have an extra heavy/large battery pack. It would slow down the car. The car designers will have to balance weight vs performance vs endurance.

[architect]

wow, interesting ito ah... wala bang may mabuting loob na gustong magsponsor nito?

Maybe we can get Sunpower Philippines to sponsor? They manufacture solar panels in Tanauan, Batangas.

http://investors.sunpowercorp.com/re...leaseID=179419

http://www.gov.ph/news/default.asp?i=18435

[mazdamazda]

I don't think that this is feasible nor would a lot of R&D result from this since you are using the same solar panel & motor for this - hence students will only focus on aerodynamics. (Wait, you mentioned that they would have identical motors but the students would have their own choice of drivetrain... hmmm?)

What would be more interesting and push R&D further would be an RC car race utilizing micro engines that burn on alternative fuel.