Impact of our Solar Car

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The Coppell Solar Racing Team is a student organization that designs and builds solar-powered electric vehicles.  Students that participate in solar racing gain valuable experience in business, technology, and leadership.  These skills will aid each team member beyond the scope of the project and provide the experience of a lifetime.  2008 was the team’s inaugural season.  In the short nine months since the start of the project, the rookie team defied the odds by growing from a group of students who knew nothing of solar cars to one of only fifteen teams to compete in the 2008 Dell-Winston Solar Challenge at Texas Motor Speedway.

The students are a part of Coppell High School’s Pre-College program, EXCITE (EXploring sCIence, Technology, & Engineering).  Through EXCITE, students participate in a curriculum that prepares students to enter into engineering fields in college.  The curriculum is based around projects that teach students about engineering and how to apply math and science to solve problems.

In the first year, the team built their first car, Aurora.  The goal for Aurora was to teach the students about the fundamentals of solar car racing.  In 2009, the team is taking that knowledge and rebuilding Aurora.  The focus for this vehicle was better aerodynamics and mechanical efficiency.  In the summer of 2011, the team competed again at Texas Motor Speedway with their rebuilt car.  This year, the team completed the entire 21 hour race and logged 325.5 miles.

Solar car racing stretches students in every aspect of the project.  Understandably, we work hard on design and building, but that is not the only aspect of solar car racing.  In order to make sure the car is drivable and allow proper time for testing, the team has a strict and grueling schedule to follow.  Testing is where the knowledge is gained and where the problems are found.  Design is emphasized during the first of the project, so that everything can be finalized before the building starts.  

A solar car is a complex project.  Students must work in the design process to create a complete a product that meets many rigid standards.  This requires that all of the components must work together in harmony.  These components may be “off-the shelf” parts or may be fabricated by the students themselves.  It is more than just building a car.  They must work towards efficiency while maintaining safety.  At the same time, the team must incorporate electrical technology to support the car as well.  

While the cost of building a solar car seems high, the team makes sure that they balance conservative spending with competitive materials.  Each year, the team takes a new step forward.  The program gains knowledge and experience at an aggressively sustainable pace.  Coppell Solar does not believe in just buying the best solar cells and motor available.  The team works to learn how the components work together in order to maximize every part of the car.  Solar car racing is about the entire system, not just solar cells and batteries.

While it is unlikely that solar cell technology will power the family sedan, the work done by solar car teams is seen on the roads today.  The advances in battery technologies and regenerative braking used by solar cars since the late 80’s is at the heart of hybrid and all-electric passenger vehicles today.  The advanced body designs and materials are finding their way into the aeronautical and automotive industries as companies work to cut costs by improving aerodynamics and saving weight.