Solar Team Twente unveils design of fresh solar car

Solar Team Twente has unveiled the design of their fresh solar car.

The amended regulations of the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in Australia ensured that the team had a wonderful fresh challenge over the last six months. The name of the solar car was also exposed: Crimson Shift.

“With a number of significant design innovations I believe we have a fine shot at winning the world championship in Australia”, says Olivier Berghuis, team leader of Solar Team Twente.

Narrower by half a metre

The fattest switch in the design compared to Crimson One, the solar car that came in 2nd during the two thousand fifteen Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, is that the car has been made narrower by half a metre. This switch stems from the revised regulations. The maximum surface area of the solar panel was diminished from 6m² to 4m².

The benefits are in the details

The team expects the benefits to be puny but significant. Lots of details in the design each contribute to a reduction in air resistance. “Through the continuous process of calculating, analysing and making improvements, we have created a very strong aerodynamic design”, explains designer Jeroen Minnema, who was responsible for designing the car’s aerodynamic form. The main wing has been placed a little to the front of the car compared to the location of the wheels. In addition, the number of hubcaps has been diminished from three to two.

Technical surprises

With a number of technical surprises, the team expects to stay ahead of the competition. These details will be announced at a later date. “It is strange to realize that this is only the design of the car’s form. The car has a diversity of wonderful electronic, mechanic and structural systems that can make a difference during the race”, says team leader Olivier Berghuis at the presentation of the design.

Fans pick name

Solar Team Twente also announced that the fresh car will be called ‘Red Shift’. “The name (roodverschuiving in Dutch) symbolizes the shift from one era to the next, that we hope to bring about. It is our ambition to contribute to a liveable planet where fossil fuels are substituted by renewable systems”, explains communications manager Gearte Nynke Noteboom. The name was picked from lots of entries in the NameOurCar contest, in which the Twente team of students gave its fans the unique chance of contributing to the fresh solar car. Lourens Lenssen from Oosterwolde came up with the name and has won a special rail in the vehicle.

Bridgestone World Solar Challenge

On eight October 2017, Solar Team Twente will be at the embark of the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, the most prestigious race for cars that run on solar energy. Together with more than fifty other international contestants, Solar Team Twente’s solar car will travel three thousand kilometres through the Australian outback. The race has four different classes. The Twente solar team will be in the Challenger Class, the Formula one class for solar cars.