Sunswift
Encyclopedia
The UNSW Solar Racing Team (often known as Sunswift after the name of their first race car) is a solar car racing team from the University of New South Wales
. The team has built four cars since 1996. The most recent car, Sunswift IVy (or Ivy), is currently the top ranked silicon solar car in the world, following a win in the silicon class at the 2009 World Solar Challenge
(WSC).
. The car surpassed expectations by being the first silicon powered car across the line, coming 4th overall.
On 7 January 2011 Ivy broke the 22 year old Guinness World Record by over 10 km.h. Australian racing driver Barton Mawer, driving Ivy, set a new Guinness World Record for World's Fastest of 88.5 km/hr at 10.32 am on the Royal Australian Navy airbase . The record was previously held by General Motor's Sunraycer with 1.5 kW of power and stood at 78.39 km/hr. Sunswift's Ivy used only 1.200 kW to create this record. The record required that Ivy be powered solely by the sun. With the entire battery pack removed IVy weighed only 140 kg.
s to construct a new solar array. This makes the UNSW SRT the first and only team to have made their own solar cells. Along the way the team achieved a new world record efficiency for this type of solar cell. The remaining cells on UNSW Sunswift II are the world's highest efficiency "PERL" silicon solar cells, made at UNSW. The team also developed a revolutionary cell encapsulation technique which allowed it to mould solar panels to the curved shape of the car.
in 1996. The car, Aurora QT, was significantly upgraded and improved by the UNSW SRT and renamed Sunswift. A new motor and controller, roll cage, chassis and batteries were added. Sunswift raced in the 1996 World Solar Challenge. The car was still a competitive entry despite its age, placing 9th out of over 40 entries. The experience gained from racing Sunswift inspired the development of Sunswift II starting in 1997.
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
. The team has built four cars since 1996. The most recent car, Sunswift IVy (or Ivy), is currently the top ranked silicon solar car in the world, following a win in the silicon class at the 2009 World Solar Challenge
World Solar Challenge
The World Solar Challenge is a solar-powered car race which covers through the Australian Outback, from Darwin to Adelaide.The race attracts teams from around the world, most of which are fielded by universities or corporations although some are fielded by high schools...
(WSC).
Sunswift IV (IVy) (2009 - )
Sunswift IV, Ivy was built for the 2009 World Solar ChallengeWorld Solar Challenge
The World Solar Challenge is a solar-powered car race which covers through the Australian Outback, from Darwin to Adelaide.The race attracts teams from around the world, most of which are fielded by universities or corporations although some are fielded by high schools...
. The car surpassed expectations by being the first silicon powered car across the line, coming 4th overall.
On 7 January 2011 Ivy broke the 22 year old Guinness World Record by over 10 km.h. Australian racing driver Barton Mawer, driving Ivy, set a new Guinness World Record for World's Fastest of 88.5 km/hr at 10.32 am on the Royal Australian Navy airbase . The record was previously held by General Motor's Sunraycer with 1.5 kW of power and stood at 78.39 km/hr. Sunswift's Ivy used only 1.200 kW to create this record. The record required that Ivy be powered solely by the sun. With the entire battery pack removed IVy weighed only 140 kg.
Jaycar Sunswift III (2005 - 2008)
Jaycar Sunswift III was designed for the 2005 WSC. Mechanical problems caused a crash before the race, and the car completed the course unofficially. The mechanics were improved for a second attempt in the 2007 race, which netted a respectable place in the Adventure class.UNSW Sunswift II (1998 - 2005)
Over seven years, from 1997 to 2003, the team developed, refined and raced four versions of UNSW Sunswift II. In 2000-2001 the team embarked on the TopCell project to manufacture buried contact solar cellSolar cell
A solar cell is a solid state electrical device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect....
s to construct a new solar array. This makes the UNSW SRT the first and only team to have made their own solar cells. Along the way the team achieved a new world record efficiency for this type of solar cell. The remaining cells on UNSW Sunswift II are the world's highest efficiency "PERL" silicon solar cells, made at UNSW. The team also developed a revolutionary cell encapsulation technique which allowed it to mould solar panels to the curved shape of the car.
Sunswift (1996)
The original Sunswift vehicle was purchased from the Aurora Vehicle AssociationAurora Solar Car
The Aurora Vehicle Association is a group of volunteers who are dedicated to achieving and demonstrating extreme efficiency in transport. Aurora was started in 1980 by building high-fuel-efficiency petrol-powered vehicles. Between 1983 and 1985 Aurora held the world record for fuel economy at...
in 1996. The car, Aurora QT, was significantly upgraded and improved by the UNSW SRT and renamed Sunswift. A new motor and controller, roll cage, chassis and batteries were added. Sunswift raced in the 1996 World Solar Challenge. The car was still a competitive entry despite its age, placing 9th out of over 40 entries. The experience gained from racing Sunswift inspired the development of Sunswift II starting in 1997.
Achievements
- 1996 World Solar ChallengeWorld Solar ChallengeThe World Solar Challenge is a solar-powered car race which covers through the Australian Outback, from Darwin to Adelaide.The race attracts teams from around the world, most of which are fielded by universities or corporations although some are fielded by high schools...
– Sunswift finished 9th out of 46 entries. This was the University’s first entry in a solar car event amongst the prestigious and competitive entries from Honda Motors Corporation, the Swiss entry from Biel, and Mitsubishi Materials Corporation. - 1999 NRMANRMANRMA refers to either of two historically related Australian companies:*The National Roads and Motorists' Association, known as NRMA Motoring and Services, is a member-owned mutual organisation offering , motoring advice and other services in New South Wales and the Australian Capital...
Transcontinental Record Attempt – with the car NRMA Sunswift II completed 4,012 km in ten days despite five days of bad weather. Even though the record of 8½ days was not broken, the attempt was still regarded to be a success with $2.4 million worth of publicity generated. - 1999 CitiPower SunRace – three days after completing the Perth-Sydney record attempt the team entered this event. NRMA Sunswift II obtained third place in a highly competitive field of five entries, proving the car’s reliability and the team’s dedication after five continuous weeks on the road.
- NRMA Sunswift II participated in a trade exhibition in Taipei, on request from the Federal Government.
- 1999 World Solar Challenge – NRMA Sunswift II finished a respectable 18th out of 48 international entries.
- 2001 World Solar Challenge - UNSW Sunswift II was the 11th car to cross the line.
- 2005 World Solar Challenge - UNSW Sunswift III was the 9th car (and the first with silicon solar cells) to cross the line, arriving in 5 days.
- 2007 - JaycarJaycarJaycar is an Australian based electronics retailer dealing in electronic components and related products for the electronics enthusiast. It was founded in 1981 when a former Dick Smith Electronics employee, Gary Johnston, purchased John Carr & Co...
Sunswift III broke the world record for a solar car journey from Perth to Sydney. The team finished the journey in 5.5 days, breaking the previous record by 3 days. - 2007 World Solar Challenge - Jaycar Sunswift III finished 4th in the Adventure class and 9th overall at 4:11pm on 26 October. The team was awarded with the prestigious Freescale Technical Innovation Award for the high efficiency of the vehicle.
- 2009 Global Green Challenge (World Solar Evolution) - Sunswift IV finished 1st in the Silicon Challenge Class and 4th overall at 3:08pm on 29 October.
- Guinness World Record: Fastest Solar Powered Vehicle: 88.8 km/h