- Durham University’s DUSC23: Solar-powered electric car.
- Competing in Bridgestone World Solar Challenge: 3,000km race.
- Speeds over 75 km/h, aiming for 50-hour course completion.
A solar-powered electric car built by students at Durham University is set to take part in an international 3,000km (1,864-mile) race in the Australian outback.
The car, known as DUSC23, has been designed and built by more than 50 students over 100,000 hours at a department of engineering society. It is made with lightweight carbon fibre and Kevlar and weighs approximately 170kg (374 lb).
The car will race in the Challenger Class of the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, which starts in Darwin on October 22 and finishes in Adelaide five days later. Vehicles in this class start with 10% of the energy they need stored in battery packs, with the rest generated through the sun.
DUSC23 can generate enough energy to drive at more than 75 km/h (47mph) and is expected to cover the course in around 50 hours.
Professor David Sims-Williams, faculty advisor to the team, said the project was a “great opportunity” for students to make their ideas a reality.
“Success requires designs which are bold and innovative but which also work in the real world,” he said.
Mitch Flegg, the chief executive of sponsors Serica Energy, said the company was impressed with Durham’s “brilliant engineering and scientific collaborations” and ingenuity.
“They had overcome tremendous hurdles to design and build this unique vehicle from scratch, and to extremely exacting specifications,” he said.
Bridgestone North said it wanted to support “innovation and sustainability in the transportation sector”.
The Bridgestone World Solar Challenge is a biennial event that attracts teams from all over the world. It is a gruelling test of endurance and innovation, and the Durham University team is hoping to make a strong impression in its first outing.
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