It has been known for a long time that photo panels can be installed on car roofs. But few people think that a full-fledged solar-powered car has already been created, which runs only on solar energy. Moreover, these are not isolated examples of amateur inventors, but completely modern developments of large companies.

Moreover, there is even a special championship in which only solar-powered cars have the right to compete. It's called the World Solar Challenge and takes place in Australia. According to the regulations, participants must overcome the 3000 km separating Darwin from Adelaide (that is, cross the entire Australia from north to south), without using any additional energy sources. This championship is held every two years, in 2013. 40 teams from more than 20 participating countries competed in it. The victory was then won by the Dutch Nuon, its car maintained an average speed of 90 km/h, despite bad weather conditions.

Features of solar cars

Thus, solar-powered cars are no longer a myth, but an ordinary reality. True, the name “car” is not entirely correct; in fact, it is an electric car, because it is equipped with an electric motor. Photo panels are placed on the roof of the car, which supply the motor with energy. There are also powerful batteries needed to store energy. Moreover, as a rule, manufacturers provide a combined option for charging battery packs. That is, if necessary, they can be recharged from a special electrical network. This is done to increase the reliability and service life of the solar car.

The benefits of the widespread use of such solar electric vehicles are obvious. This includes the absence of environmental pollution, ease of use, and independence from gas stations. However, there are a number of problems. First of all, the efficiency of modern solar cells is not high enough (and the cost of high-performance prototypes is too high). In addition, this is the need to reduce the weight of the car as much as possible without reducing its strength, that is, the use of fairly expensive composite materials.

Nevertheless, engineers continue to actively work in this direction, since the promise of solar vehicles is beyond doubt. This means that an effective, but not too expensive, solar battery and durable but lightweight compositions for the housing are needed (after all, the weight of the electric motor and batteries cannot be lowered below a certain level).

What types of solar cars are there?

Solar-powered cars stand out from the norm. Their design most often resembles some kind of fantastic devices of the future, and not completely real, working machines. This is explained not so much by the imagination of the developers, but by practical necessity. After all, for such a car to fully operate, you need quite a lot of solar panels, so the coverage area has to be increased.

Stella - family solar car from the Netherlands

In Holland (Eindhoven Technical University) they created a concept that can easily claim the title of “the world’s first solar-powered family car.” The prototype is called Stella and seats four people. Moreover, it not only accommodates, but also allows them to fit quite comfortably in the cabin. Moreover, the car also has a quite spacious trunk. The Stella body is made of carbon fiber and aluminum, so the concept weighs only 380 kg with a length of 4.5 m and a width of 1.65.

Flexible high-performance panels are installed on the roof of the car, and control is carried out using a “smart steering wheel” and a touch screen (instead of the usual buttons). Stella's maximum speed is 110 km/h, and in the dark, with fully charged batteries, it can travel 600 km. By the way, in 2013 Stella participated quite successfully in the World Solar Challenge.

Racing technology for the masses

Venturi has launched the Astrolab solar car. Moreover, this is not just a concept development, it is a full-fledged commercial model that anyone can purchase. It is designed for two passengers. The technical characteristics of the car, created on the basis of Formula 1 racing cars, are quite sufficient for comfortable everyday driving.

The power of the asynchronous motor is 16 kW, the maximum speed is 110-120 km/h, the weight of the car itself is only 300 kg. Astrolab is equipped with 7 kW/h batteries and a total weight of 110 kg.

Solar cars, as we can see from the name itself, these are cars that use solar energy to move.

This type of car did not appear yesterday or even the day before yesterday, as many people think. The first solar-powered car was unveiled back in 1955.

This solar-powered car was small in size and moved without a driver using remote control.

The operating principle of such a car, despite its fantastic name, is quite simple.

Solar panels, converting the energy of sunlight into electrical energy, charge the batteries. Those, in turn, use an electric motor to drive the wheels of the car. I don’t think I need to say that at night solar-powered cars move using batteries, and during the day using solar energy.

The solar car received its first serious test in 1982, when engineer-inventor Hans Tholstrup drove across Australia in his brainchild “Quiet Achiever”, while the average speed of his solar car was 20 km/h.

Since then, solar-powered cars have received serious attention from other engineers and enthusiasts, who have begun to create even more advanced models.

And as a result, in 1996, during the fourth International Solar Car Rally (the first was held in 1987), the Dream solar car reached a speed of 90 km/h, and on some good sections of the route its speed reached 135 km/h . The distance covered by this sunmobile is 3000 km.

I would like to note that such competitions between solar-powered cars are held every year in Australia. A section of the route of the same 3000 km runs between the cities of Darwin and Adelaide.

On average, these competitions take about one week, during which solar-powered cars not only surprise everyone with their interesting design, but also with increasingly better performance.

It should be understood that the lighter such a car is, and the more solar panels, batteries and an electric motor it has, the better its technical characteristics will be.

Therefore, modern solar-powered cars are high-tech devices that incorporate all the latest scientific achievements in the fields of physics, chemistry, mechanics and other sciences.

The example of a solar powered car has all its advantages and positive aspects.

The differences from conventional cars are striking in their breadth:

§ unlimited power reserve, thanks to the accumulation of energy during daylight hours,

§ no need for gas stations,

§ huge resource of solar modules,

§ absence of harmful exhaust gases or other emitted elements,

§ absolutely free, no one will pay for sunlight.

But still, no matter how much these cars are praised, they are still very imperfect. And the problem lies not only in the presence of clear weather.

Unfortunately, science in this area has not yet achieved the desired results. Solar panels on cars are not yet perfect; their efficiency in good weather is only 15%, not to mention cloudy weather. For comparison, the efficiency of a gasoline engine is 45%.

Also solar powered cars have very little power. Usually it is 1 hp. with a total solar battery area of 2 sq.m.

Helping with future competition is the ongoing development of new materials used in batteries. For example, recent developments make it possible not to install flat solar panels on the roof of a car, and destroy the design delights of auto giants. Batteries have already been developed that can be used as tinting on cars, that is, they can be invisible to the average person.

The glazing surface in a car is quite large; by adding to the surface of the entire body, which can be covered with flexible solar panels, you can achieve an area quite sufficient to generate the required amount of solar energy so that the battery-powered car can travel any distance, and the owner does not have to think about recharging it.

The disadvantage of such flexible modules is low efficiency. But as past developments in solar energy show, increasing productivity is just a matter of time. Based on historical data, you can be sure that after some time, the performance of solar panels for electric vehicles will reach the required level, and will allow you to create powerful and reliable cars for mass use.

What types of solar cars are there?

Stella - family sunmobile from the Netherlands

Racing technology for the masses

The power of the asynchronous motor is 16 kW, the maximum speed is 110-120 km/h, the weight of the car itself is only 300 kg.

Of course, at the present stage of development of solar-powered cars, one cannot take this type of car seriously as an alternative means of transportation, especially since the cost of such cars varies within 25 thousand EUROS. These are more likely to be toys for the rich than cars for everyday use.

But science does not stand still, because more than 100 years ago the first cars that appeared on the roads also caused confusion and misunderstanding, and now these are technological masterpieces, without which life on earth would simply stop.

Who knows, another 50 years will pass, or maybe less without solar powered cars humanity will also no longer be able to live. Wait and see.

The deteriorating ecology of our planet every year and technological progress that does not stand still have served as powerful catalysts for the development and production of such environmentally friendly transport as a solar-powered car.

The operation of vehicles with solar panels for recharging car batteries is based on the accumulation of the natural energy of the Sun and its conversion into electricity that powers the electric motor that drives the vehicle.

The essence of the transformation is the use of p-n conductivity, created by solar cells in elements formed by two silicon layers, during the production of which various substances are added to them.

The following diagram will help you understand the essence of the transformation in more detail:

Phosphorus is added to the top “n” layer during the manufacturing process, and boron is added to the “p” (bottom) layer. Thus, a “p-n junction” is formed at the boundary of the two layers, which determines the “p-n” conductivity for the photocells that make up the solar battery.

The rays of the sun, acting on the first layer, form negative particles - free electrons, and positive, so-called “holes”, in the lower layer.

An electric field appears between them, leading to the appearance of a potential difference.

When connected to two load layers, a current will appear in the circuit. Particles with a minus sign tend to move upward, while particles with a “+” sign move downward.

If an electric motor is taken as the load and electronic devices are additionally installed that provide the required operating mode in various modes, and a certain number of batteries are connected, the circuit can be used as a drive, serving, among other things, to set the machine in motion.

Such a vehicle will be called a car powered by solar panels. It was invented back in the 20th century.

A little history

Solar-powered cars owe their appearance to the Americans. But, due to the fact that at that time there were no appropriate technologies that would allow the assembly of compact solar powerful structures, mass production of solar vehicles was never started.

Only low-energy batteries were produced. Therefore, this branch of the automotive industry did not develop at that time. They returned to cars using solar energy only in the nineties.

By that time, there was an opportunity that made it possible to increase the efficiency of solar-powered cars. The amount of electricity generated by the panels has also increased. New generation batteries have made it possible to create and transmit the required energy reserve when moving over a considerable distance.

There are also new materials used to make car bodies, modern transmission systems and types of electric motors. All this also had a positive impact on the development of the industry.

Today, high-strength and very lightweight plastic is used in the production of body elements, parts that are characterized by a minimum value of rolling resistance are used for transmissions, and brushless motors are used, containing rare-earth magnets for the poles.

The wheel motor was also an innovative invention. In this case, each drive wheel is equipped with an electric motor, which increases the efficiency of the transmission mechanism.

Solar panels began to be produced flexible. This could not but lead to an increase in power, since it became possible to attach them to any part of the body, thereby increasing the area capable of accumulating energy.

Solar car models

There is practically no leading automobile company that is not developing vehicles powered by solar batteries.

Among the most famous is the Ecletic car developed by the French company Venturi.

Characteristics

High-power power unit – 22 hp;
The distance covered without recharging is 50 km;
Permissible speed is 50 km/h.

The model's backup power source is a wind generator installed on the roof. But the developer also provided a second possibility - replenishing energy from the household electrical network.

Another project of the French Venturi engineers is the “Astrolab” model.

Options

The power reserve of the production model is almost double that of the previous one. The power is 16 kW, the speed is limited to 120 km/h.

Due to the use of plastic to make the case, the model weighs only 300 kilograms. She has a solar panel installed on the roof of her car.

The Dutch brainchild called “Stella”, developed by employees of the University of Eindhoen, looks futuristic. This is a family car, equipped with a high-power solar battery and has a touch screen. Its body has many aluminum parts made from carbon.

The energy generated by a car using solar panels is even more than what is needed to recharge the batteries, the capacity of which is rather large, so the range reaches 600 km.

Specialists from Green GT (Switzerland) also contributed to the development of the automotive industry, and specifically to cars with solar panels.

They created the Solar World GT car, which has power up to 400 hp.

The engine and capacitive battery allow it to accelerate to 275 km/h, accelerating to hundreds in just 4 seconds.

Domestic solar cars are also being successfully developed in Russia, or more precisely in St. Petersburg.

A lightweight composite is used for the body of the solar-powered car, resulting in a weight of only 200 kilograms. The shape resembles a catamaran. Expected speed is 150 km/h.

And, of course, it could not do without Japan, which created the car that won the Australian annual races in 2011. It was called “Tokai Challenger 2”, and it surprises many:

The shape of the body is made of carbon fiber and the weight does not exceed 140 kg;
The developed speed is 160 km/h.

Price

Since solar cars are still a piece goods, their cost cannot be called low. Until the cars are put into production, little is known about their characteristics. Car creators are in no hurry to reveal secrets.

There is more information about the same models that have already been put into production. Thus, the price of the French Astrolab is known, which is approximately 92 thousand euros.

pros

The undeniable advantages of solar cars are:

Environmental friendliness;
Low weight;
Small sizes;
Cost-effective;
Unlimited supply of solar energy;
No need to develop infrastructure (gas stations and recharging stations are not needed);
Long service life;
Cheap energy;
Large resource of panels.

Minuses

Disadvantages do not allow the described cars to be widely used in everyday life.

They are consistent with the advantages:

piece production and innovative technologies that greatly increase the price;
lower speed and travel distance without recharging than a car with an internal combustion engine;
lack of car services for this segment of transport.

However, the new direction, i.e. the creation of solar cars can in the near future push cars with internal combustion engines out of the market.

In addition, concerns finance work on the development of solar cars created by small bureaus and teams.

Important: Serial production of solar vehicles will reach unprecedented proportions as soon as the panel efficiency reaches 50%.

Today, it won’t be a problem to buy a capacitive solar battery for a car, even on the Internet.

Video: Solar-powered cars hit the start line

How is solar energy used in the automotive industry?

The world's fuel crisis is just around the corner. Not long ago, data was announced that if the current rate of oil production in Russia is maintained, it will last for 30 years. That is, reserves are melting every day, and consumption is growing. Besides, there is another problem. A large number of cars release a lot of exhaust gases with harmful substances into the atmosphere every day. These problems need to be solved. And in the near future. Some experts see a solution in creating electric vehicles powered by solar energy. Indeed, this is not a fantasy story, but real developments. Of course, the release of production models is still a long way off, but there are already working samples, including racing cars.

They first tried to install photovoltaic panels on the roof of a car quite a long time ago. Nowadays, full-fledged cars have appeared that are driven exclusively by solar energy. And these cars are not made in single copies by enthusiasts, but in the production shops of large automobile corporations.

Back in the middle of the last century, General Motors introduced a model with an electric motor that runs on solar energy. The car was no more than half a meter long. 10 solar panels were attached to the roof.

The car was developed by William Cobb, a GM engineer. These studies were funded by the automobile giant in hopes of a breakthrough. But then the research was curtailed due to low profitability, and they returned to it only several decades later.

The development of solar-powered cars returned in the nineties of the last century. At this time, the efficiency of photocells reached 15 percent. This served as a powerful impetus for the development of solar energy. Many large concerns have joined the development of electric vehicles. Not long ago there were reports that specialists from Spektrolab managed to obtain solar panels with an efficiency above 30%. But serial samples with such efficiency have not yet been produced.

Pros and cons of helio cars

So, let’s summarize the pros and cons of solar-powered cars.

pros

Solar energy is free;
No network of gas stations required;
Photocells have a long service life (up to 30 years);
Not emissions, but the atmosphere;
The use of such cars stimulates the development of advanced technologies in related fields.

Minuses

Low efficiency of photovoltaic panels (maximum 12─15%);
High cost of solar panels;
The efficiency of power generation depends on the time of day and weather;
It is necessary to store energy from batteries.

Examples of solar electric vehicles

Astrolab

The production of this electric car is carried out by specialists from the Venturi company. The maximum speed that the car develops is 120 kilometers per hour. Mileage up to 110 kilometers. The vehicle is equipped with photovoltaic cells with a total area of 3.6 square meters. The cost of this miracle is more than 90 thousand euros.

As the designers say, they managed to achieve such parameters thanks to the improved car body. Astrolab is like a racing car. The interior of the car is made in the form of a carbon monocoque to protect the driver and passenger. Astrolab was designed by Sasha Lakic. He himself calls this electric car like a wing on wheels.

Ecletic

Ecletic is another solar car from Venturi. The engine power of this car is 22 horsepower. For comparison, other solar-powered cars average one horsepower per two square meters of panels. Ecletic runs solely on solar energy.

The designers claim that their creation runs at a speed of 50 kilometers per hour up to fifty kilometers. And one more interesting nuance of Ecletic. The car can travel up to 15 kilometers using wind power. If there is bad weather outside, the car is charged from the electrical network in about 5 hours.

“Sunmobiles”, i.e. Cars running on energy generated from solar panels are no longer a fantasy. Moreover, every year multi-day international races of such innovative vehicles take place. For example, this year 37 cars made in a futuristic design covered a distance of 3 thousand km - from the city of Darwin in the north of the country to Adelaide in the south. The marathon took about a week. At the same time, cars moved on solar energy only during the day, and at night they turned into electric cars.

(Total 18 photos)

1. The first solar-powered electric car was shown to the public back in 1955. It was a small unmanned model.

2. And thirty years later, in 1987, the first world competition of solar-powered cars was held.

3. Since then, a competition of similar self-propelled carts has been held annually in Australia - the Australian World Solar Challenge. The distance from Darwin to Adelaide that the participants cover is 3010 km.

5. The main participants in these competitions are enthusiasts: student and scientific groups of universities. Some projects are sponsored by large automobile concerns.

6. Such competitions are equivalent to a show, which is watched annually by approximately 200 million people, which means that you can further advertise your products.

7. The results obtained are interesting not only for the automotive industry, because satellites in space have long been powered by solar energy.

8. Not only sunny Australia became interested in such cars. For example, in the USA, in Denver, acceleration races are held annually. The distance, as befits the canons of this sporting competition, is 402 meters. The results can be the envy of car owners who use the same gasoline. "Current Eliminator - 3" spends only 10.23 seconds to overcome this distance.

9. However, despite the fact that these cars do not use a drop of gasoline to move, the problem with “solar cars” is not only the lack of sunny days, as it seems at first glance.

10. Even in good and clear weather, the efficiency of solar photocells is 15%. While the efficiency of an internal combustion engine is 40-45%, that is, three times more.

11. Another disadvantage of these cars is power. They develop not much more than 1 liter. With. and this is provided that the area of the photocells is approximately two square meters, so the speed of such machines is also not high. 100 km/h, in good weather and tailwind, is considered a very good indicator.

12. And yet there are optimists who believe in the future of such vehicles.

13. Thus, the French company Venturi today already has two electric vehicle projects ready for mass production - these are Ecletic and Astrolab. The latter even looks like a sports car, although only in appearance. They cannot yet boast of mesmerizing power. Eclectic is capable of developing only 22 hp. With.

14. These cars, of course, travel without gasoline, but not for long. The charge of nickel-metal hybrid batteries from photocells is enough for only 50 km of travel, at a speed of no more than 50 km/h.

15. The developers have also provided an option for cloudy days. In this case, the car can be connected to the network and hit the road again in five hours.