The team behind an Australian designed and built solar powered car has its sights set on breaking a world speed record this week.
The Sunswift IV’s (also known as IVy) Guinness Record Run is happening this Friday in Nowra, on the New South Wales south coast.
The Sunswift IVy is the same size as an average sedan but half the height and around 10% of the weight of an average car. The solar powered vehicle has a top speed of approximately 115 km/hr and an estimated average speed of 85 km/hr.
All of this is achieved on the amount of power needed to toast a couple of slices of bread – just 1300 watts generated by 400 solar cells. Powering the IVy is a Brushless CSIRO 3 phase DC 1800W motor; with an efficiency of 98%. IVy’s battery is based on lithium polymer and weighs under 25 kilograms.
The IVy’s frame is constructed of monocoque and the body material is made from carbon fibre, as are the wheels.
The University of New South Wales Sunswift Solar Racing Team was formed in 1995. The team has won multiple awards, including the CSIRO Award for Technical Innovation in 2007 and the Engineering Excellence Award for Education and Training from Engineers Australia in the same year.
IVy’s predecessor, the Sunswift III, broke the Transcontinental World Record from Perth to Sydney in 2007; completing the journey in 5.5 days and shattering the previous record of 8 days.
The Sunswift team says that solar powered cars instil a sense of awe and curiosity in people and reminding people that the technology exists for environmentally responsible transport is something the team takes very seriously.
More on the SunSwift IV
