Team: SOLAR CARS RENAISSANCE
Solar Cars in Our
Future
Authors: Olga Tsessarski, Miguel Thomos, Jaka Petrovčič
Eilat – Ludwigshafen – Ljubljana , December
2014
Introduction
 Photovoltaics
developing alternative
 Work towards energy autarchy of the cities
 Clean solar energy
fuel for vehicles
How solar cells work?
 Two different types of
semi-conductor layers
(sillicon)
 Two layers together =>
P-N junction
 Difference in electrons
causes current
Brief history
 The first solar car
was invented 60
years ago
 In 1981 Tholstrup
built a solar powered
race car in which he
crossed Australia
 Breakthroughs
First solar car
through the years
Brief history
 New cars been
developed…
 World Solar
Modern racing solar car
Challenge
invented by
Tholstrup, an
australian solar car
inventor
Advantages of solar cars
 NO AIR OR NOSIE POLLUTION
 The purchaser does not have to purchase
USUAL fuel
 Cheaper and less regular
maintenance service than
conventional cars (Blue, 2014)
Current problems
People are not driving solar cars now because:
 None commonly available in market
 Too small
 Design is not appealing to the consumer
 Not reliable, fuel problems
Dream cars?
Nowadays solar cars
Would you buy one like this?
The car solution
• 4 seater
• 120 km/h top speed
• 80 kW motor (Bosch)
• 1000 kg full
• 150 km range
• 30000 $
4 m2 of semi-flexible solar
panels
8h recharging from the sun
Grid battery charging:
4 h completely,
20 min for 80% full battery
Comparison
Drag coefficient 0.2
Drag coefficient: 0.28
Electric motor
Petrol motor
80 kW
115 kW
The city solution
• State’s investment into solar
panels near parking lots
• Recharging cars from the
grid(plug in), for a price
Picture 6:
Conclusion
These solutions would slowly convince the population to
change their way of transport.
Change the way of thinking
Less consumptionate society
Sources:
 Blue, M.-L. The Pros and Cons of Using Solar Energy
for Cars. [Online] 2014. [Cited 23 Nov 2014].
Accessible at the website:
<http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/pros-cons-usingsolar-energy-cars-41000.html
 First solar car. [Online] 2014. [Cited 26 Nov 2014].
Accessible at the website:
<http://www.automostory.com/first-solar-car.htm>
 Interview with Dr Velko S. Rus, professor of social
psychology at the Faculty of Arts of Ljubljana
(http://www.ff.uni-lj.si/en ), in November 2014
Pictures:

Picture 1:
http://www.iuses.eu/materiali/eng/STUDENTS_HANDBOOKS/Transport_handbook.pdf

Picture 2: http://www.automostory.com/images/first-solar-car.jpg

Picture 3: http://hight3ch.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/10/SolarCar.jpg

Picture 4:
http://t1.ftcdn.net/jpg/00/29/18/94/400_F_29189417_CXN92sIrBvr6vLsIEDgk12NOlGqe9cbB
.jpg

Picture 5: http://www.youdrivewhat.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/yd17.jpg

Picture 6: http://www.mazda.co.uk/assets/master/cars/all-newmazda3/hatchback/exterior/colourator/cars/1/m3_allnew_hatchback_arctic_white.png

Picture 7: http://crte.org/images/parking/08-parking-lot1.jpg

Picture 8: http://cdn.wonderfulengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Solar-RoofTiles.jpg