© Solar Team Eindhoven
The third edition of the World Solar Challenge, a race featuring solar-powered vehicles, will be held in 2017. Students from Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) in the Netherlands are preparing a novel car model with support from Axians Netherlands.
Following its victories in the Cruiser Class in the first two editions of the World Solar Challenge, held in 2013 and 2015, the Solar Team Eindhoven will compete once again at this event in October 2017. A new team of 21 TU/e students is preparing a new kind of solar-powered automobile designed to race across Australia from north to south.
Once again, Axians, the VINCI Energies brand dedicated to Information and Communications Technology (ICT), is managing the geostrategic internal communications system, an essential resource that enables the two passengers in the vehicle to pinpoint their location, anticipate potential obstacles, and maximise solar radiation uptake whatever the weather conditions.
© Solar Team Eindhoven
Stimulating innovation
The World Solar Challenge is much more than a frantic race where speed is the only thing that matters. “The objective is to stimulate innovation and show the world what can be achieved with technology,” says Jan van de Bovenkamp, Marketing Manager at Axians Netherlands. “Our dream is to build the car of the future powered solely by the sun’s rays.”
© Solar Team Eindhoven
By 2013, it was already possible to travel the 3,000 km distance between Darwin and Adelaide using 64 kWh of electric power on average. This is much less than the 1,500 kWh required by the most energy-efficient conventional cars.
Repeated participation in the event fuels progress. “We know that many key improvements will be achieved in the years to come in terms of distance, speed, and feasibility,” states Jan van de Bovenkamp.
As a result of Solar Team Eindhoven’s insistence on designing a prototype every year, Axians has had to redefine the dashboard’s wi-fi systems. Consequently, experts at Axians have been able to explore new avenues of development and make the most of their mental agility and creativity.
© Solar Team Eindhoven
20/10/2016
