A group of mechanical engineering students and two academics at UKZN’s School of Engineering took the plunge and built a vehicle for the SASOL Solar Challenge.
Team members, particularly excited as this was UKZN’s first entry in the event, were prepared for serious competition and some tough conditions as their car traveled along the 5400km course. They traversed some of South Africa’s most demanding terrain and passed through several major South African cities.
The team comprised two lecturers, Clinton Bemont and Kirsty Veale, and students Mohammed Mahomedy, Mitchell Meyer, Charles Raaff, Cameron McKenzie, Jason Canny, Adhikar Hariram, Ndivho Mmbengwa and Bongane Sandlane.
UKZN’s Apalis solar car was conceived as a final year design project in the School of Engineering under the Solar Energy Research Group (SERG). The car has a lightweight carbon fibre body and chassis supported by an aluminium and chromoly sub-chassis. It is powered by 6m² of state of the art silicon solar cells, charging a bank of 464 lithium-ion batteries, which drive a high efficiency electric motor.
Bemont and Veale said that they would like the success of this project to create future opportunities for undergraduate and Masters’ students to continue the research into renewable energy methods and electric vehicles. ‘The project has been great fun and an amazing opportunity for young engineers. Our car completed the greatest distance of all SA universities in the Challenge Class (3 wheels).’
UKZN’s Solar Car entry attracted significant interest and sponsorship from industry, especially from the Technology and Innovation Agency, Unilever, Chemspec, Gochermann Solar Technology, Krank and Perry Yamaha. |