Electric Cars or Flying Saucers?

The scientific challenges in building a solar car

In 2007, a Welsh team built a solar-powered car for a material cost of just £8000, using new and recycled off-the-shelf components. The vehicle, Gwawr, went on to win the Panasonic World Solar Challenge Environmental Awareness Award 2007. Now, led by Glyndŵr University’s Dr Graham Sparey-Taylor and Tom Boddington, a new solar car is being built in Wrexham. Nos Gwawr II will have two alternative body kits, one an aerodynamic design for racing and another mode which makes the car suitable for commuting. Learn about the scientific challenges in building a solar car and catch a glimpse of a half-length model of Nos Gwawr II which has been used for testing. It’s now 20 years since solar cars affordable for the general public were first predicted by Howard Wilson, the brains behind General Motors’ Sunraycer. It might not be feasible to mass produce Nos Gwawr II just yet, but could the science behind the technology and low cost production provide a breakthrough in making solar cars attainable to the general public?

Register to tell a friend about this lecture.

Comments

If you would like to comment about this lecture, please register here.

©2003-2006 Niminim Limited. Created by

Any ad revenue is entirely reinvested into the Lecture List's operating fund