UNIVERSITY of NEW SOUTH WALES

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HISTORY 

The UNSW Solar Racing Team (SRT) was formed in 1995. Since the team’s inception it has participated in a number of events including:

 

1996 WSC – Sunswift finished 9th out of 46 entries. This was the University’s first entry in a solar car event amongst the prestigious and competitive entries from Honda Motors Corporation, the Swiss entry from Biel, and Mitsubishi Materials Corporation.

 

World Solar Challenge 2003


World Solar Challenge 2003

 

 

1999 NRMA Transcontinental Record Attempt – with the car NRMA Sunswift II completed 4,012km in ten days despite five days of bad weather. Even though the record of 8½ days was not broken, the attempt was still regarded to be a success with $2.4 million worth of publicity generated.

 

1999 CitiPower SunRace – three days after completing the Perth-Sydney record attempt the team entered this event. NRMA Sunswift II obtained third place in a highly competitive field of five entries, proving the car’s reliability and the team’s dedication after five continuous weeks on the road.

NRMA Sunswift II participated in a trade exhibition in Taipei, on request from the Federal Government.

1999 WSC – NRMA Sunswift II finished a respectable 18th out of 48 international entries.

 

2000 Whirlpool SunRace – Placing second until the penultimate day of the race, the car was forced off the road by another motorist sustaining significant race-ending damage. Despite the accident the driver was unharmed and the team’s spirits were high as they reflected on what had been achieved over the previous five days.

 

World Solar Challenge 2001


World Solar Challenge 2001

 

 

Topcell – the UNSW SRT embarked on an ambitious project to manufacture its own solar cells to build a new array. This was a world first for any solar car team. The SRT also developed a new cell encapsulation method which allowed the team to construct curved panels – another world first.

2001 WSC – UNSW Sunswift II placed 11th out of an international field of 40 vehicles. The team overcame electrical problems on the first day to make up a lot of ground and take this placing.

 

2002 AGO SunRace – after eight days of close racing the team finished 2nd in a field of four world class solar cars. The team was also awarded the inaugural SunRace Enterprise Award for technical innovation for the Topcell project.

2003 SunRace – during a race characterised by poor weather conditions, UNSW Sunswift II again finished as the 2nd placed solar car.

 

2003 World Solar Challenge – a decision was made to withdraw from the 2003 World Solar Challenge, after the 4WD towing UNSW Sunswift II was involved in an accident on route to Darwin.


WhirlPool SunRace 2000


WhirlPool SunRace 2000



Race / Year

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

SunRace

Withdrew

---

2nd

2nd

Cancelled

---

World Solar Challenge

---

11th

---

Withdrew

---

To Be Held

Transcontinental Record

---

---

Postponed

---

---

---



 


 

 

 

 

SPONSORS :

 

 

The University Of New South Wales

The University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales is the naming rights sponsor of UNSW Sunswift III. Professor Mark S Wainwright, UNSW's Vice-Chancellor, has been named as the patron of the UNSW Solar Racing Team.



TECHNICAL PARTNERS

The Boeing Company

Boeing - Hawker De Havilland
Boeing - Hawker De Havilland provides the UNSW SRT with composite materials, workspace and facilities. Staff at Boeing also provides the UNSW SRT with valuable advice and training on procedures relating to the use of composite materials.

 

TAFE NSW - Sydney Institute

TAFE NSW - Sydney Institute
The Sydney Institute provides the UNSW SRT with facilities, advice and skilled labour for the manufacture of most metal components of UNSW Sunswift III. The Sydney Institute also provides the team with paint-booths and skilled staff to manufacture and make repairs to moulds and plugs.



 

Sunswift II body lifted

 


MAJOR SPONSORS

 

NRMA – Motoring and Services

NRMA – Motoring and Services
NRMA is a long standing sponsor of the UNSW SRT. As well as providing financial assistance to the team, NRMA also organises an advanced technology exhibition which has been running for a number of years and showcases a range of alternative transportation options.

 

The Faculty Of Engineering

The Faculty Of Engineering
The Faculty of Engineering of the University of NSW provides the UNSW SRT with a monetary grant, use of a range of facilities as well as valuable advice and support. The UNSW SRT helps promote the faculty at events such as UNSW Open Day and Sunsprint (model solar car challenge).

 

U-Committee (UNSW)

U Committee
The U Committee is a group of friends of the University, including staff, spouses of staff, and any others who wish to contribute to the University. Since its inception in 1963, this charity has raised over $2,000,000 for many projects and activities on campus that otherwise may not have been funded. The U-Committee's major event is the Annual Book Fair.

 

mouldCAM

mouldCAM
mouldCAM was established in 2002 and runs one of the largest 5-axis CNC milling machines in the Southern Hemisphere. The plugs for UNSW Sunswift III were manufactured here.

 

 

 



 

ORGANISATION A-Z

CAR'S NAME

TEAM NAME

Aristotle Uni of Thessaloniki, Helios

Helios

Faculty of Engineering

Arizona Solar Racing Team - USA

Arizona Solar Racing Team

Auburn University

Sol of Auburn

Sol of Auburn

Aurora Team, Australia

Aurora

Aurora Vehicle Association

Bochum Solar Car Team

Das SolarCar der Fachhochschule

California Poly S University

SLO Burn  Sidewinder

San Luis Obispo

Clarkson Uni Solar Car Team, USA

The Solar Knights

Delft University - Holland

NUNA I & II 2003

Dell Winston School

The Hunter

Solar Car Challenge

Desert Rose, Northern Territory Uni

FUJI DESERT ROSE

Drexel SunDragon Home Page

École de technologie supérieure Quebec

Eclipse V (5)

Éclipse Vehicular Solaire 

École Polytechnique de Montréal

Esteban

Eko-Auto  Poland

Eko-Auto

Electron Analytic Corporation

Dark Horse

EAC Skunkworks

George Washington University

George Washington Uni Solar Car

Georgia Institute of Technology

Solar Jackets

Solar Jackets

Heliodet, Germany

Heliodet

Heliodet, Solar Car Team

Helios - Lille, France

Hélios IV

Hautes Etudes d'Ingénieur

Honda Car Company

Honda

Illinois State University

Surya, Ratha, Mercury

Illinois State University Team

Iowa State University

Fusion

Team PrISUm

Jonasun  Japan

Orbit

Solar Car Paviion

Kansas State University

Paragon

Solar Car Racing Team

Los Altos Academy of Engineering

Los Altos Solar Car Team

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Tesseract

MIT

McGill University Monteal, Canada

iSun

Team iSun

McMaster University

Phoenix

McMaster Uni Solar Car Project

Messiah College Grantham, Penns

Genesis II

Genesis II Solar Racing Team

Michigan State University

 

Solar Racing Team

Michigan Technological University

Solar Car Team

Minnesota S Uni-Mankato/Winona S Uni

Minnesota Solar Car Team

North Dakota State University

The Double Deuce

Sunsetters - Solar Race Team

Northwestern University

N'Uvation

Northwestern University

Nuon Solar Team, Netherlands

Nuon 3

Het Nuon Solar Team

Osaka Sangyo University, Japan

OSU model S

Solar Car Team

Prairie View A&M University

Solaris

Sun Panthers

Principia College

RA 6

Principia College Solar Car Team

Purdue University

SPOT 2

Purdue University Solar Racing

Queen's University Canada

Radiance  Gemini

Queen's Solar Vehicle Team

Red River College 

Red River Raycer

Red River College Solar Car Team

Rice University

Rice University

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Rose-Hulman Solar Car Team

Southern Illinois Uni Edwardsville

Cougar Cruiser

Southern Illinois University

South Bank University, UK

Mad Dog

South Bank Mad Dog Team

South Dakota School Mines & Tech

Solar Motion

South Dakota Solar Motion Team

Southern Taiwan University Tech

Southern Taiwan Solar Team

Stanford University

Solstice

Stanford Solar Car Project

Tamagawa University - Japan

Tamagawa Solar Challenge Project

Team Futura, Italy

FUTURA 2

Team Futura

Team SunLake - Japan

Phaethon model

Team SunLake TOYOBO

Texas A&M University

Columbia Sunraycer

Texas A&M Motorsports Team

The Power of One  - Toronto

Xof1

The Xof1 solar car team

Tufts University

ANNE E. B. II

Nerd Girls

University of Alberta

University of Alberta Team

University of Arizona

Drifter

Solar Racing Team

University of Calgary

 

UC Calgary Solar Car Team

University of California-Berkeley

CalSol 

California Calsol Team

University of Kansas

Solution, CATalyst

KSU Solar Car Racing Team

University of Kentucky

Gato del Sol II

Solar Car Team

University of Massachusetts 

Spirit of Mass 413

Lowell Solar Racing Team

University of Michigan

Momentum

University of Michigan

University of Minnesota

Borealis III

U of M Solar Vehicle Project

University of Missouri Columbia

Suntiger VI

The Mizzou Solar Car Project

University of Missouri Rolla

Solar Miner V

Solar Minor Car Team 

University of North Dakota

Subzero 3

Team SubZero

University of Ontario Institute of Tech

UOI Solar Vehicle Team

Uni of New South Wales SCR Team

UNSW Sunswift III

New South Wales SCR Team

University of Patras, Hermes

Solar Car Team

University of Pennsylvania

Keystone

Penn Solar Racing

University of Queensland

Sunshark

Queensland Solar Team

University of South Australia

Ned  KELLY

SA Solar Car Consortium

University of Texas at Austin

Solar Steer

Solar Vehicles Team

University of Texas at El Paso

 

Solraycers

University of Toronto

Blue Sky

Blue Sky Solar Racing

University of Toulouse

Heliotrope

Heliotrope Solar Car Team

University of Utah 

 

Vehicle Design Team Utah

University of Virginia

 

UVa Solar Car Team

University of Waterloo

Midnight Sun VIII

Midnight Sun Solar Race Team

University of Western Ontario

Sunstang

Sunstang USP Solar Car Team

USP Solar Car Team

USP Solar Car Team

Western Michigan University

Sunseeker 05

W Michigan Solar Car Team

Yale University

The John Lee

Team Lux

 

 

 

 

IF YOUR TEAM OR EVENT IS NOT LISTED HERE,  PLEASE CONTACT US.

 

 

 

 

SOLAR CAR EVENTS

 

 

American Solar Challenge

American Tour de Sol

American World Solar Challenge - Formula Sun          

Australian World Solar Challenge

Canadian Solar Discovery Challenge

Dream Cup Solar Car Race Suzuka 2003 - Japan

Japanese World Solar Car Rallye

North American Solar Challenge

Phaethon 2004

Solar Express - Solar Bike Race

Sunrayce

SunRace 2003 - Australia

World Solar Car Rally - Japan

World Solar Rallye - Japan

 

 

 

During these competitions, students learn about solar panels, electric motors, electronics, vehicle chassis, bodywork, aerodynamics, suspension, batteries and how to solve practical problems during the design process, while working as a team.  It's demanding stuff and more fun that laying in bed watching TV, where individuals may seek inspiration, but achieve very little.

 

 

 

THINKING OF BUILDING YOUR OWN SOLAR CAR?  CHECK OUT THE PAGES BELOW AS THEY COME ONLINE........

 

 

 

1. Chassis - and seating

2. Mechanics - suspension, steering, brakes

3. Motor and drive train

4. Motor controller

5. Solar Array - usually part of body

6. Batteries or fuel cells

7. Electrical System - and instruments

8. Driver Controls - switches, lighting, etc

9. Bodywork - Screen, etc

 

 

 

SOLAR CAR PART FINDER 

 

 

 


 

A taste for adventure

Solar Cola - a healthier alternative

 

 

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