MIT unveils solar powered car
Mar 3, 2009 Auto Tech, Startups
Eleanor
This may look similar to the B-2 stalth bomber, but it is actually the latest creation of MIT’s Solar Electric Vehicle Team. Built at a cost of $243,000, the carbon-fiber racer has been nicknamed Eleanor and is being prepared to take part in the upcoming World Solar Challenge in Australia.
With a ultra-slippery drag coefficient of 0.11, Eleanor features 580 silicon solar cells that cover six square meters and generate 1,200 watts. All the enrgy is stored in a 6-kilowatt-hour battery pack comprising 693 lithium-ion cells. The battery weighs 32 kilograms (about 71 pounds) and provides sufficient range — even without sunlight — to do a steady 55mph all day. Power comes from a 10-horsepower hub-mounted motor driving the lone rear wheel which enables a top speed of 90mph.
While they may look impractical today, these entries to the World Solar Challenge (now in its 10th edition, started in 1987) and Bibendum Challenge (organised by Michelin, but canceled this year due to the economic crisis) are a glimpse into the future of battery and propulsion technologies.
While the next generation Prius may only have solar cells on its roof to run the car’s electronics and cooling, maybe commercial solar powered cars will become a reality in a decade from now.
Source: MIT.
Tags: MIT, Solar power
10:27 am on March 9th, 2009 Reply to this comment!
The shape of the car is very much different from the normal cars. It is not possible practically to drive this solar powered cars on the city roads.
12:15 am on March 11th, 2009 Reply to this comment!
You are completely wrong, this very car has also been built by high school students and I have driven it, its actually more spacious than it looks. I was 6′3″ 250lbs when that happened. Check out winstonsolar.org/challenge and look at some of the high school creations. Be especially aware of the Houston Solar Race Team car, built using no carbon fiber that has out performed this MIT designed shell 3 times.