Engineering news
Durham University students will reveal a solar powered car which can reach speeds of up to 70mph on solar power alone.
The latest car from Durham University Electric motorsport (DUEM) is the the DUSC2015, which is set to be released by the university at the London Motor Show.
The engineering highlight of the car is its innovative and top secret in-wheel motor design, which is 98% efficient and powers the car up to speeds of 70mph.
DUEM have custom-designed and manufactured all components for the solar powered car, which was originally designed for the World Solar Challenge (WSC) in October 2015. They opted for a carbon-fibre design that reduced the weight of the car by a third, weighing in at just 200kg. Since returning from the challenge in Australia, the engineers have continued to make the car lighter and more efficient. The team has redesigned the whole electrical system of the car, moving to a lighter battery pack to improve performance and efficiency.
The team is entirely run by a group of dynamic students alongside their studies. In the last three months, the team has signed six new sponsors. GH CityPrint, Studio Designs Unique, Evonik Industries, Labman Automation, Tufnol Composites and Sevcon are the companies that have shown their support to DUEM.
Tobias McBride, a second year economics student at Durham University Business School and spokesperson for the team, said: “This is an incredibly exciting project to be involved with. What we are creating is an extraordinary opportunity to showcase the very latest technology, to globally educate about the importance of renewable technology in an environmentally conscious world and to inspire the next generation of those who dare to think differently.
“Our future plans offer individuals and companies unique scope to enhance their CSR attributes and showcase their support of the very latest green technologies. Our project enables connections with the very best student engineers and business minds in the country, and enables them to demonstrate their support of British engineering, ingenuity and innovation to the public in a truly exclusive way.”
Established in 2002, the 50-strong DUEM team is the most established university electric car team in the UK. The engineering team will be the only university car maker presenting at the event which takes place from 5-8 May at Battersea Park.