Solar powered car. Solar car - from a toy to a real alternative. The undeniable advantages of solar cars

The energy crisis raging in the world is doubly unpleasant for motorists: in addition to a sharp increase in prices for car service services, fuel costs are also increasing. Naturally, in this case, it makes sense to study the possibility of acquiring / modifying a car that would move using renewable (alternative) energy sources, including solar energy.

History and progress in the development of "solar cars"

The first one, which covered a more or less significant distance, is the car of the Dane H. Tolstrup, with the help of which the inventor managed to cross Australia in 1982. True, now the speed of movement of 20 km / h achieved by him seems ridiculous. Therefore, the Dream car, presented at the beginning of the 21st century, already reached a speed of 135 km / h. It seems that there is progress, and even what. But…

moving car on solar panels due to the presence of photoconverters. They are responsible for the process of accumulating solar energy, which then drives the engine. And this is where the problems arise:

the efficiency of photocells does not exceed 12%;
light brushless or low-speed motors (built directly into the drive wheels) are only in prototypes, and their production is not put on stream. Which is understandable, given the small demand for such engines;
the weight of the car, on which its energy efficiency will depend, cannot be constantly reduced, since sooner or later this will adversely affect the strength and safety of the car. Carbon bodies are very expensive;
Solar tires should have a minimum rolling friction coefficient and still have sufficient grip on the road surface. Michelin has already mastered the production of such tires (Model Radial X), but there is no talk of their mass production either.

The only thing that construction enthusiasts have succeeded in solar powered cars- so it is in the design of the body. With the help of 3D modeling and subsequent blowing of the finished sample in a wind tunnel, the streamlining of the machine almost reaches the maximum of the current technical capabilities. Perhaps that is why the best examples of "solar cars" have very unusual shapes and outlines (see Fig. 1).

Existing solar car designs

The production of prototypes of such machines is carried out by such giants of the automotive industry as bmw, Toyota, Mercedes, as well as the French company Venturi, Swiss company Green GT and etc.

Developments are going in two directions:

the creation of a hybrid design of a solar-powered car, which in cloudy weather could be recharged from the mains, and work like a simple electric car;
creation of a vehicle in which the energy of the Sun would be used for some auxiliary needs: for example, for the operation of a navigation system, or an air conditioner for a car.

As you can see, the question of creating a "clean" car that runs exclusively on solar energy is not yet on the agenda. Meanwhile, experimental designs of such machines have already been tested and are offered for sale to very wealthy motorists who are already fed up with traditional designs.

The most successful technological solutions for a solar-powered car are:

- « Astrolab» (see Fig. 2) from the company Venturi – maximum speed 120 km/h, cruising range on the highway 110 km, panel area with photoconverters 3.6 m 2 , price - 92,000 euros;

- « Sunswift eVe” (see Fig. 3) is a joint brainchild of Australian companies Bilstein and Ohlins. The car accelerates to a speed of 75 km / h, with a power reserve of 300 km. The price is not reported.

Is it possible to convert an existing car into a "solar car"?

Chinese student Zhu Zhen Lin, a student at West Virginia University (USA) managed to remake solar powered car an ordinary serial car (see Fig. 4). The car has a range of up to 70 km, with a maximum speed of about 40 km/h.

The car's solar panels consist of 22 photovoltaic cells mounted on the roof, sides and hood of the car. Of course, this design cannot be called especially aesthetic, but such a car has the necessary functionality in the conditions of movement along city streets. And most importantly, the Chinese student spent only $ 2,400 for all the refurbishment.

Thus, there are prospects for cars using solar energy. in the best way they can be implemented as a combined propulsion unit, which will not depend on the weather and atmospheric conditions.

Hanergy is a Chinese energy holding that manufactures and installs environmentally friendly power plants powered by renewable energy sources: water, wind or solar. The company has existed since 1994, has many branches and partners around the world, and its staff exceeds 15,000 employees. Last year, Hanergy also acquired interests in the automotive sector. More precisely, in the electric car. Last fall, the company introduced the first prototype of a solar-powered electric car, and now a large-scale presentation of four concept cars at once took place in China.

2015 Hanergy prototype

All of them are built on the original modular platform, which provides different types drive (depending on the layout of the body and the purpose of the machine, the electric motor can be installed on any axle). The lithium-ion traction battery is located between the axles under the cabin floor, and modern thin-film solar panels are located on the surface of the body. They are lighter, more efficient than traditional crystalline ones, perform better in cloudy and dirty conditions, and because of their flexible design, they are easier to integrate into the car body. And the biggest downside is the price. Four machines are just designed to demonstrate the wide possibilities of these technologies.

Hanergy Solar O is a one-volume city car created according to more or less traditional patterns. Solar panels are built into the roof, front and liftgates, and the trunk can fit two electric scooters.

The unusual shape of the body and, first of all, the roof of the Solar A concept is dictated by the desire to maximize the horizontal area of solar panels. As planned, the hatchback weighing 1.2 tons also has folding panels, so the total area of the solar battery in the parking lot reaches 7.5 square meters.

But this is still nonsense. Minivan Solar L reaches six meters in length, like a Rolls-Royce Phantom! It has a huge sloping tail, and the area of solar cells is almost ten square meters! At the same time, the declared mass of the car is only 700 kg.

Well, Hanergy Solar R is an electric sports car. The menacing-looking coupe has solar panels on the roof, hood, doors, and instead of a rear window. Alas, the dynamic characteristics of the machines have not yet been reported.

According to the assurances of the developers, in 5-6 hours, solar panels can generate energy, which is enough for an electric car to travel about 80 km. For city trips on the route home-work-shop-home this is enough. At the same time, the control system, based on weather forecasts, will tell you when it is best to charge the car and how long it will take to replenish the charge for the required mileage. And if the energy of the sun is not enough, then the electricity supply can be replenished from the outlet. The full capacity of the battery should be enough for 350 km.

Hanergy claims that current technologies for manufacturing thin-film solar cells allow photovoltaic conversion rates of up to 31.6%, although the industry average is about 20%. And the plans are to increase the coefficient to 42% by 2025. Transparent solar panels are also under development, which can be “glued” to glass, significantly increasing the total area of photocells.

The company intends to begin production of solar-powered electric vehicles in 2020. But it is possible that this entire automotive project was made only for promotional purposes in order to attract the attention of the public. After all, in addition to energy projects, Hanergy was also widely known for a major financial scandal: last spring, after long frauds, the shares of one of the holding’s divisions (Hanergy Thin Film Power) on the Hong Kong stock exchange almost halved in 24 minutes, reducing capitalization by $19 billion at once! What kind of electric cars are there?

The development of technological progress and the desire of mankind to preserve the environment have become the main catalysts for the invention of cars operating on the basis of solar energy. They have positive and negative characteristics, but in practice they have not yet gained distribution, which is due to a number of reasons.

General characteristics

The principle of operation is based on the conversion of solar energy into electrical energy. The latter becomes a power source for the electric motor installed on the car. If such a motor is connected, the auxiliary electronic devices, responsible for full-fledged work in different driving modes and a certain number of batteries that provide power reserve - this will bring the car closer to the usual one.

The first car based on solar batteries was created in the middle of the twentieth century. This event took place in the USA. But in those days there was no technology to create powerful batteries. The produced batteries had a low capacity, which suspended the development of this area of the automotive industry.

In the 90s of the last century, new attempts to design "solar" cars appeared. By increasing the efficiency of batteries, inventors have managed to significantly increase the amount of energy they generate. Energy-intensive batteries can provide the necessary amount of power for the engine to drive long enough distances.

A positive impact on the development of this direction of the industry was the use of innovative materials for the creation of bodies, improved transmission systems, electric power units. The first are made from durable lightweight plastic elements. The transmission contains parts that have the lowest degree of rolling resistance. Instead of conventional electric motors, brushless motors. They include poles made of rare earth magnetic alloys. Some manufacturers install motor-wheels - power units located on the drive wheels. Such a scheme at times increases the efficiency of the transmission mechanism.

The power reserve of solar energy in the aggregate has increased due to the release of flexible batteries. Now they can be mounted on any element of the body.

What are solar cars

Almost every leading automotive company is working on the invention of the ideal solar car. The most famous are the offspring of:

Venturi. The car of this French company Ecletic has a power of 22 hp. It is able to cover about 50 km without recharging at a speed not exceeding 50 km/h. It uses a backup power source, which is a wind generator. In addition, the machine can be charged from the mains. Another of her inventions is the Astrolab auto. This model has a power of 16 kW and a speed of 120 km/h. Its weight is 300 kg, and the battery is located on the roof.

University of Eindhoen. Local engineers have created a futuristic Stella family car. Its power reserve is 600 km. The body parts here are made of aluminum.

Green GT. The Swiss have contributed to the progress. Their invention Solar World GT has a capacity of 400 horsepower. The car is capable of gaining acceleration up to 275 km / h.

The production of solar vehicles is also carried out on the territory of the Russian Federation. In St. Petersburg, a device weighing 200 kg was created, which is due to the use of a lightweight composite for the construction of the body. Outwardly, the model resembles a catamaran and is characterized by the ability to pick up speed up to 150 km/h. The industry leaders are the Japanese. Their solar-powered car Tokai Challenger 2 won the race in 2011. Its body is made of carbon fiber. The mass of the car is only 140 kg, and the speed reaches 160 km/h. It is equipped with batteries of the famous Panasonic company.

Pros and cons

Machines operating on solar energy are endowed with positive characteristics:

increased environmental safety;
no restrictions on the stock of the power source;
long service life;
compact dimensions;
no need for refueling at special stations;
low operating costs (free refueling).

It does not do without disadvantages that outweigh the advantages. This includes the high cost and impossibility of launching mass production, reduced power and speed compared to conventional cars. There are no workshops for servicing such vehicles in the world yet.

Solar electric vehicles in practice

These machines have not been used in practice. This is hindered by the cost of the car and low efficiency. solar batteries. Not every motorist is ready to shell out a couple of million dollars for a vehicle that has flaws.

The development of new technologies contributes to the improvement of solar vehicles. They have already become compact and light. For their equipment began to be used flexible solar panels. A Venezuelan company promises to produce light-duty, solar-powered cars and trucks. So far, these are only promises, but experts are confident in the future of the machines in question.

The energy of the sun is an inexhaustible and renewable source, which, when properly used, opens up endless possibilities for humanity.

The whole world is experiencing a fuel crisis: oil reserves are dwindling every day, and the amount of its consumption, on the contrary, is growing. An ecological catastrophe is approaching the world: every day, cars emit a huge amount of exhaust gases into the environment. Scientists are trying to solve all these problems with one very interesting, and most importantly, useful development - a car powered by solar batteries. And this is not science fiction, but quite real idea which has been successfully implemented for many years.

Solar-powered cars have been around since 1982. Inventor Hans Tolstrup crossed Australia in such a car, only his speed was only 20 km / h. And after 14 years, the speed of solar vehicles increased to 135 km/h. It was this figure that was shown by the speedometer of the "solar" car "Dream", which won the IV International Rally. Agree, an excellent indicator for a car that runs exclusively on solar radiation, but this “Dream” cost 2 million dollars.

Development in the field of "solar" electric vehicles

Solar electric vehicles, as the name suggests, use solar energy to operate. One of the main links involved in this process are photoconverters, they are responsible for the accumulation of solar energy. So a similar car from the enemy environment turns into its ally, because environmentally friendly sunlight acts as an energy source.

Of course, it is too early to talk about the widespread use of "solar" electric vehicles. The main problem that has yet to be solved is the low efficiency of the photocells used. To date, this figure is 12%. In order to make solar cars more affordable, it is necessary to:

Reduce the cost of photoconverters at times.
Increase useful returns by at least 40%.
Reduce the weight of the car, which will reduce the amount of energy consumed.

But progress does not stand still, and scientists every day are working on new developments for solar vehicles. First of all, improvements have affected the solar-powered engine. So in the latest models of "solar" cars, light brushless DC motors are used, the efficiency of which is 98%. Low-speed engines are also used, which are built directly into the drive wheels, which prevents energy loss during transmission.

New developments have also touched the wheels. Now for solar vehicles use tires with a minimum coefficient of rolling resistance. Michelin is considered the leader in the production of such tires. Among other things, the energy of solar panels is used to power the radio, navigator, air conditioner and other car devices that serve for comfortable and safe driving.

Improvements have also been made appearance"solar car". Indeed, at first glance, you will not even immediately understand that there is an ordinary car in front of you. But this is explained not by the imagination of designers who develop a car powered by solar panels, but by necessity. Indeed, in order for such a car to drive several tens of kilometers, a considerable amount of energy will be required, which can only be provided by a large-area solar battery. So it turns out that solar cars do not look like an ordinary vehicle, but like a spaceship from some fantastic action movie. So if you like everything creative, then you will definitely like the sunmobile.

The most memorable representatives of the solar car class

Auto Ecletic solar powered, is one of the developments of the French company Venturi. Distinctive feature this car - a power of 22 hp. It should be noted that for most solar vehicles this figure does not exceed 1 hp. with a solar battery area of 2 square meters. Ecletic works exclusively without the use of fuel.

For example, without recharging, such a car can travel 50 km at an average speed of 50 km/h. In addition to solar energy, Ecletic can use wind energy, it will last only 15 km. But in cloudy weather, you can charge the car from a conventional outlet, it will take only 5 hours.

Astrolab

Astrolab's solar-powered vehicle is also owned by Venturi. This model turned out to be more perfect than the Ecletic. Its maximum speed is 120 km / h, and it can travel up to 110 km. The area of photovoltaic cells was 3.6 square meters. And the price of the car also did not "let us down" - 92 thousand euros, that's how much you have to pay for this miracle of modern automotive industry.

So high specifications the developers managed to achieve thanks to the shape of the car. It is designed like the cars participating in Formula 1. And as an additional protection, an ultra-light carbon monocoque is used. Astrolab was designed by the famous Sasha Lakik, who compared new model with a wing on wheels.

Solar World GT

The development of a solar-powered electric vehicle, the Solar World GT, has not yet been completed. According to the Swiss company Green GT, the electric supercar will have the following specifications:

acceleration to 100 km in just 4 seconds;
the maximum speed will be 275 km / h;
the power of the electric power plant will reach 350-400 hp.

But all these figures are only in the plans so far, and we will find out how everything will actually be only after the Solar World GT is presented to the general public.

Installing solar panels on your car

If you want to get involved in solar energy, but can't afford a real solar car yet, you can take advantage of an idea that is gaining ground every day - installing a solar panel on the roof of a car. Moreover, it is used not only by craftsmen, but also by the giants of the global automotive industry, such as Toyota, BMW and others. Of course, the accumulated energy will not be enough for you to move freely around the city, but you can easily ensure the operation of a navigation system or air conditioning using solar energy.

A few years ago, Toyota announced the installation of solar panels on the "top" version. hybrid car Prius models. But the presence of this option alone provoked a sharp increase in the cost of this car. Still, photovoltaic cells are becoming more expensive every day, and the process of storing accumulated energy is quite complicated. No less popular is the Mercedes Benz LKS 2012, on the roof of which the developers also installed a solar panel.

The car solar battery is designed to maintain power to devices that consume electricity, as well as to save battery power during long periods of parking. The power of such batteries ranges from 40 to 70 watts. In addition to the battery, you will need a special controller. It is necessary to regulate the charge and discharge, since when the weather conditions change, as well as the change of day and night, different modes of operation of the photocells used can be observed.

Darwin-Adelaide Races - Testing Solar Cars

If you are even a little familiar with solar-powered cars, then you have certainly heard about the most famous races that are held every 2 years in Australia. Only cars that use solar energy participate in them. They were started by Hans Tolstrup, whom we told you about at the beginning of the article. The Darwin-Adelaide race pushes all activists who care about the fate of our ecology to develop new improvements for solar cars.
The organizers of the races impose quite strict requirements on all participants:

the capacity of the batteries used should not exceed 5 kW / h;
traffic on the highway strictly according to the schedule from 8 am to 5 pm.
the driver must not weigh less than 80 kg, otherwise an additional ballast is attached to the electric vehicle;
the team should consist of 2-4 drivers.

In 2011, 37 teams participated in the races, but only 7 of them were able to complete the distance. The Japanese team's solar-powered car was the first to cross the finish line. In second place were the Dutch, and in third - the Americans. It took the winner of the Tokai Challenger 2 race (fig. Tokai Challenger 2) 32 hours and 45 minutes to cover the race track. The average speed of the solar car was 91.5 km/h, and the maximum speed was 160 km/h. As we can see, progress is on the face.

And in 2013, students from the Technical University of Eindhoven from the Netherlands won. Their four-seater solar-powered car called Stella can reach speeds of up to 110 km/h, and the solar energy accumulated by silicone panels is enough for 600 kilometers, provided there is no sunlight. Stella weighs 380 kg with a length of 4.5 meters and a width of 1.65 meters. The structure of the solar car is made of aluminum and carbon fiber.

Solar-powered cars are slowly but surely entering our lives. Several decades will pass, and the solar car will cease to be something distant and inaccessible. From a unique development, it will turn into a mass vehicle. And while today many refer to the "solar" car as a fantastic toy for the rich, the time will surely come and everything will change. Indeed, as history shows, many of the things that caused misunderstanding and alertness among people have now become an integral part of our lives for us.

The article was prepared by Abdullina Regina

The following video is another example of a solar powered car:

A solar car is not a new idea, but it has not been fully implemented due to objective features. This is the low power of solar-powered cars, and there were certain problems with the efficiency of solar charging for a car that almost the whole world tried to solve. And after all, it cannot be said that everything is in vain - dynamics, especially in last years, only pleases. It is quite possible that it is the solar car that will replace modern electric cars.

Solar car - development through racing

The idea of a solar-powered car was seriously approached only in the second half of the last century (they experimented with might and main even in the USSR - at the RAF plant, with a minibus model 2203), and 1982 should be recognized as the date of birth of a more or less full-fledged solar car.

It was then that the Dane Hans Tolstrup - an inventor, entrepreneur and traveler - made a three thousand-kilometer raid through Australia on a Quiet Achiever prototype, developing an average speed of just over 20 km / h. The principle is simple: photocells, converting light energy into electrical energy, charge the batteries, which, with the help of an electric motor, set the wheels in motion. Naturally, solar charging for a car is constant and continuous until clouds appear or it starts to rain.

And then Tolstrup decided to develop this promising direction and established the World Solar Challenge - the first solar car race. Australia, where the sun shines almost 300 days a year. Those who wished responded quickly, in 1987 the first rally took place, and then every two years (the process of developing and producing a new prototype is not the fastest), more and more daredevils came to the Green Continent.

Already in 1996, the average speed of the winning crew approached the mark of 100 km / h, and the “maximum speed” was 135 km / h. Then it only got better.

Solar car - Indian practicality and Dutch functionality

In terms of favorable weather, India may well argue with Australia. University students in Manipal, with the help of the Tata concern, designed an interesting concept car. Their solar car is a fiberglass body on a tubular frame, equipped with a mass of about 600 kg, capable of driving one and a half hundred kilometers at a maximum speed of 60 km/h.

The power supply and control system is based on the Raspberry Pi microcomputer. Moreover, the main task facing the Indians was the possibility of commercial use of this solar-powered car! Not speed, power or comfort, no - it's more of an attempt to replace cycle rickshaws for the foreseeable future.

But in Holland they built a solar car with a radically opposite philosophy. A student team from Eindhoven took on the Stella project, a family car designed to look like a very understated minibus. They tried to make the car as light as possible (only 375 kilograms!), as aerodynamic and comfortable as possible.

The first generation of this solar car without any problems won the World Solar Challenge in the Cruiser class (as close as possible to real cars), the second - Stella Lux - is being prepared for the rally in October 2015.

So it promises to become a stepping stone on the way to the mass production of solar cars: on a single charge - 1,100 kilometers, the maximum speed is limited at around 125 km / h. Signature feature: the built-in navigation system also automatically selects the most optimal route based on the weather forecast.

Solar car - English cunning and German adventurism

The British also had their ambitions in terms of building a cool solar-powered car. But they were predominantly sports and competitive in nature. Students from Cambridge were able to design at the same time the most aerodynamic car, and at the same time made the solar panels adaptive - so that not one photon of energy was wasted! The car can travel 140 km / h - and also serves as more of a prototype for future serial development.

Naturally, in the topic of developing a solar-powered car, Germany could not stand aside. German students from Bochum in 2012 swung at once on a round-the-world trip with a length of almost thirty thousand kilometers (!) On a miniature two-door SolarWorld GT coupe made of carbon and aluminum - weighing only 260 kilograms!

The maximum speed is 120 km / h, the cruising range without recharging is 400 kilometers, with recharging - three times as much. The car turned out to be pretty, although the guys had a hard time on the roads of Russia and Ukraine - they had to arrange a pit stop and change the wheel. Although there is a blessing in disguise: additional solar charging for the car will never be superfluous.

Solar car - Australian respectability

But in Australia they decided not to waste time and immediately set out to create not a simple solar-powered car, but the most natural sporkupe! The Immortus project from EVX Ventures is a futuristic design, two electric motors and acceleration from zero to hundreds in seven seconds! The maximum speed is limited at around 150 km / h, without the dynamics of electric motors, the car is capable of city rides at a speed of 60 km / h, and this is perhaps almost the ideal operating option for relaxed Australians.

And here is another Australian project - Sunswift eVe - so far only a prototype. But not simple, but a record-breaking prototype: students from New South Wales created a car for half a million dollars that can travel 500 kilometers on a single charge at an average speed of more than 100 km / h - and although the maximum speed is slightly inferior to the Immortus project, the second "Australian" is also planned to launch in small-scale production. Apparently there is a demand.

Solar car - far or near future

The major automakers, having received a sensitive flick on the nose, are likely preparing a retaliatory strike with the release of Tesla. And a solar car may well become one.

For example, Ford has already tried to put photocells on the roof of the C-Max minivan, and the resulting concept looked decent enough. Well, small manufacturers have a chance to repeat the success of Elon Musk and his electric car. What is needed for this? Innovation, innovation and more innovation.

New light and strong polymer materials for the body and possibly wheels, as well as more efficient photocells and electric motors. Pleasant and pleasing to the eye design and functionality comparable to good C-class- that's the key to success.

Take it, tell your friends!