Solar Powered Cars
By SolarCars on October 25, 2009
Cars that run on fossil fuels are still standard, but many would like to replace those diesel or gas engines with alternative fuels. One promising possibility is to develop solar powered cars. Although this is not yet a reality, prototypes have been built and proven to be functional and now many researchers are trying to find ways of using solar energy to power cars.
Solar powered cars would have many advantages over those that run on fossil fuels. These advantages are directly the result of the alternative source of energy. Cars that are solar powered basically run on energy collected from the sun’s rays and that means that there is an unlimited supply of the source energy. This gives solar powered vehicles an edge over those that use up the limited supplies of oil reserves.
Another advantage of solar energy is that it is also free of future costs for the supply and requires very little maintenance and upkeep. This would make solar powered cars cheap to drive. Since solar power doesn’t have any emissions, the cars would also be considered clean or “green” and not have a negative impact on the environment.
However, as of now there are no standard solar powered car models on the market. This may change in the near future, though, since many of the major manufacturers are also looking into this alternative source of energy and have ideas, such as adding solar panels to the car roof or to use solar energy as a power source to charge electric cars.
Topics: Mazda, Solar, Solar Cars | No Comments »
Why aren’t we all driving on sunlight?
By SolarCars on April 25, 2009
This video is so wrong. Sir, people who are serious about solar powered cars know one thing: a driving range of 40 miles is NOT sufficient for anyone. We need REAL solar powered cars, and we need them soon if we REALLY want to make a difference.
Topics: Solar, Solar Cars, Video | No Comments »
Basic Info on Vehicle Aerodynamics
By SolarCars on March 27, 2009
Aerodynamics are hugely important on solar powered cars, because they can seriously change the energy effiency of a vehicle. Here’s a great article on vehicle aerodynamics:
One need not be a hardcore Physics geek to understand the basic concepts of vehicle aerodynamics. In fact some of these basic concepts may even help you understand better how your car works and how you increase your fuel economy. Drag, lift, air density, drag coefficient – these are just some of the things you need to know if you want to get a better understanding of how vehicles are affected by aerodynamic forces.
Drag and lift are the the two aerodynamic forces that act on bodies traveling through the air – whether it be a truck, car, jet, or plane. For vehicles, drag is more important than lift, unless you like to drive fast in a race or exotic cars. Vehicles should avoid lift, which is why you have spoilers, wings, and air dams which all function to provide downward force and keep your car pressed down on the pavement.
Drag is the force that has the most impact on fuel economy and usage because this is the force that opposes the vehicle’s forward movement. It requires a lot of power to overcome drag. Sometimes, it even requires more power than engine and powertrain friction, rolling resistance, and other power consumers. As mentioned, if you want to lessen drag (and thus decrease fuel usage and consumption), don’t drive at speeds that are faster than necessary.
If you want to improve your car’s aerodynamics, you should avoid using wider wheels because these increase drag. Also, roll your windows up when speeding down the highway. Most of the vehicles today are designed for aerodynamic efficiency when the windows are rolled up.
Topics: Aerodynamics | No Comments »