Book - Solar Car

Concept

• Solar/human hybrid, practical 35 mph cruising, 45 mph noon max speed
• 8 foot by 16 foot body, 1 kW of solar panels, flexible panels at 4 lb/100W
• Panels are close to ground for good wind stability.
• Light weight, aluminum frame
• According to Cycling Power and Speed Calculator - 500W take you 25 mph with a 300 lb vehicle.

Discussion

• Use 300W panels - dimensions of 1650x99ox38 mm panels
• Neighborhood hybrid human vehicle, capable of 45 mph max, 35 cruising at 1000W/m2 sun.
• Telescopes for more power, from 16' to 30'. 8' wide. 9.14 m x 2.4 m. For untelescoped - 4.9m
• 16' is the length of a mid-size car
• Bottom-monted panels for low center of mass in windy conditions
• 19kg per panel above
• Flexible panels - [1] - $1/watt for 200W, 109x80x3 cm
• Flex panels are 75% lighter. Ex - 100W is 4 lb. Makes sense. [2]
• This is great news for the solar car. Just need to mount them in an effective way on the car.
• Can fit - 2 across and 11 long for telescoped, and 6 untelescoped. 22 and 12. Subtract 2 for the driver - so have 20 or 10 panels - or 2 kw in the extended form.
• Can fit a Honda 2kW generator for backup. Motor by itself can get you? mpg?
• Basic weight: 4 lbxs 20 = 80 lb for panels. 10 kg motor. Capacitor bank - light weight for extra power, pumped by human generator for passing. 5 minute human generator at 100W yields a 2kW boost every 5 minutes for 15 seconds of passing power.
• Cycling Power and Speed Calculator - power to attain a certain speed on a bicycle, given frontal area and wheel friction

Working Document

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1By0GBUudqYwnG9HAmtOo6ZxJtpCblDXwipBiSV6i0Fk/edit#slide=id.g45ed589c64_0_0

Links

• Solar Car