CALIFORNIA POLY SOLAR CAR TEAM

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The Solar Eagle and Solar Eagle II made history in California, and brought significant prestige to and interest in the School of Engineering and Technology at California State University, Los Angeles. These projects became showcase pieces and brought recognition to the school and to the University. More than a half million people have seen at least one of the cars, either at educational tours across Los Angeles or, in the case of Solar Eagle I, at the Petersen Automotive Muesum. The project engendered unprecedented enthusiasm and pride all across the Cal State L.A. campus community. These projects provided the more than sixty Solar Eagle and Solar Eagle II team members with the educational experience of a lifetime. Furthermore, the projects played important roles in raising public consciousness of the need for environmentally clean transportation systems.

Solar Eagle III team 1997 - California State University, Los Angeles

In 1990, Cal State L.A. 's first solar-powered electric car, the Solar Eagle, placed fourth of the thirty-two entries in the GM Sunrayce USA , ahead of entries from many of the most prestigious universities in the nation, including MIT and Stanford. It finished first among the five California entries. The Solar Eagle vehicle received the U.S. Department of Energy first place cash award for "Best Artistic Design" based on both aesthetics and workmanship. In the 1990 World Solar Challenge race across Australia, the Solar Eagle placed in the top ten in the world, even though it competed against cars built by multinational corporations. These include such giants as Honda, Nissan, and Swatch. The car went on to win the Arizona Governor's Cup Solar Car Race held as part of the Phoenix Formula I Grand Prix in March, 1991.

In 1993, Cal State L.A. 's second Solar-powered car, the Solar Eagle II, won the regional qualifying event and started in pole position in the Sunrayce '93. An unfortunate electrical system failure on the first day took the car out of contention for first place. After recifying the electrical problem, the Solar Eagle II went on to win more first place daily finishes than any other entry.At the end of the race, Solar Eagle II finished in third place of the thirty-two car field. In November, 1993, the team traveled to Australia to compete in the 1993 World Solar Challenge. The Solar Eagle II finished thirteenth in the fifty-four car field. The vehicle averaged 37 mph, driving daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., bettering the Solar Eagle's 1990 speed by over 10 mph.

The Solar Eagle and Solar Eagle II continue to bring credit and recognition to Cal State L.A. The Solar Eagle has been on display at L.A.'s Petersen Automotive Museum, since it's opening in June, 1994. The award winning video, "The Flight of the Solar Eagle", which chonicles the process of designing, building, and racing the Solar Eagle, continues to be widely distributed. The Solar Eagle II is highly sought after for display in the community.

The School of Engineering and Technology at Cal State L.A. has developed a reputation for excellence in designing, building, and racing solar-powered electric vehicles. We learned an enormous amount in the process of building Solar Eagle and Solar Eagle II which are putting into the design and fabrication of the Solar Eagle III. We have the knowledge, expertise and enthusiasm to pull it all together and bring home a first place victory with the Solar Eagle III.

Solar Eagle III on the tarmac

SOLAR EAGLE III

They say the third time's a charm, and the old familiar phrase is appropriately invoked when speaking of Cal State L.A.'s solar-powered electric vehicle, the Solar Eagle III. The University's third solar car engineered by a team of students under the guidance of faculty and staff, the Solar Eagle III emerged from the Sunrayce 97 intercollegiate solar car race victorious. Not only did Cal State L.A. cross the finish line first and take the national championship title, the team also set a new Sunrayce speed record. For complete details on the Solar Eagle III's rise to national champions, visit the page, Sunrayce 97 Champs.

The flaming yellow Solar Eagle III is part of a rich history of solar vehicle excellence at Cal State L.A. The exciting victory Team Solar Eagle III celebrated at the Sunrayce 97 finish line in Colorado Springs on June 28, 1997, marks the culmination of learning, trial, and redesign gleaned from the University's first two solar race cars, the Solar Eagle and the Solar Eagle II. Cal State L.A.'s first two solar cars finished fourth and third respectively in past Sunrayce competitions, paving the way for the success of the Solar Eagle III.

What is the anatomy of a Sunrayce champ? Take a look at the Solar Eagle III's technical specifications listed below. They give the blueprint for a world-class, space-age solar vehicle, meticulously honed and refined based on the performance of its predecessors.

The Solar Eagle III: Technical Specifications

• Weight: 427 pounds (without driver and batteries)

• Length: 19.2 feet

• Width: 6.3 feet

• Height: 3.1 feet

• Rolling Chassis: carbon fiber monocoque structure

• Body and Solar Panel: carbon fiber skin with Nomex honeycomb core

• Solar Cells: 762 terrestrial grade silicon cells (4.05" x 3.94") by Siemens wired in four parallel strings

• Panel Voltage: 85-volts peak string voltage

• Tire Rolling Resistance: .0045

• Drag Coefficient: .15

• Wheel Base: 104 inches

• Wheels and Tires: wheels have composite centers with aluminum rims; tires are Bridgestone Ecopia

• Brakes and Suspension: front brakes are mechanical hydraulic; regenerative rear brakes. Suspension is double A-arm in the front and swing arm in the rear.

• Batteries: 108-volt system with nine 12-volt batteries by U.S. Battery Manufacturing Company. Weight=307 lbs.

• Motor System: Two interchangeable motor systems: 1.) Wheel motor (NGM-SC-M100) and controller (NGM-SC-C100) by New Generation Motor Corporation; and 2.) DC Brushless motor (BRLS8) and controller (110H) by Solectria Corporation with belt drive.

Solar Eagle III cockpit

SOLAR EAGLE II

 

The Solar Eagle II is a world class, solar-powered electric race car designed and built by an outstanding team of Cal State L.A. students, faculty and staff.

In June of 1993, the Solar Eagle II finished third in the 1,100 mile Sunrayce '93 -- a cross-country race from Arlington, Texas to Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Solar Eagle II started the race in the pole position having qualified with the fastest time. Solar Eagle II finished ahead of 30 other universities, including such prestigious institutions as Stanford, George Washington University and UC Berkeley. The car and team were honored with a second place award in Technical Innovation for Chassis Design, Propulsion and Aerodynamic Systems by the Sunrayce '93 judges. They also received a third place award from the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) for Design Excellence in Engineering Safety.

In November, 1993, the Solar Eagle II gained international recognition by coming in 13th out in field of 54, and became the fourth U.S. team to cross the finish line at the 1993 World Solar Challenge, a grueling 1,882 mile race across the Australian outback.

Vehicle Technical Specifications

• Length: 16 feet

• Width: 6.1 feet

• Height: 3.3 feet

• Weight: 360 pounds (without driver and batteries)

• Structure: Welded aluminum space frame with carbon fiber composite battery box and underneath pan to provide shear and torsion strength.

• Body: Carbon fiber skin with Rohacell structural foam core.

• Solar power system: 754 single crystal BP Saturn cells (3.7" x 3/8") on top; 824 quarter-size cut cells on vehicle sides. Cerium doped and antireflective-coated cover glass from Optical Coating Laboratory, Inc.

• Maximum solar panel power: 960 watts.

• Batteries: Ten - 12 volt U.S. Battery Mfg. Co. Lead acid batteries.

• Motor: Solectria DC brushless motor and controller. Motor produces 6.5 HP at 5500 RPM.

Solar Eagles I, II and III roll out parade

SOLAR EAGLE

 

In 1990, with no prior experience in solar vehicle technology, a dedicated team of students, faculty and staff from Cal State L.A.'s School of Engineering and Technology designed and built the University's first solar-powered electric car -- the Solar Eagle. The Solar Eagle placed fourth in the GM Sunrayce USA competing in a field of 32 of the top universities in the nation. It went on to place in the top ten in the world in the 1990 World Solar Challenge race across Australia. By finishing ahead of all California entries in both events, the Solar Eagle quickly became known as "California's #1 Solar Car." The Solar Eagle has been widely displayed at local schools and community events. In March, 1994, the Solar Eagle was placed on permanent loan to the Petersen Auto Museum, Los Angeles' premier automotive museum, and is currently on display.

Vehicle Technical Specifications

• Weight: 205 kg, 452 lb.

• Length: 6.030 m

• Width: 2.017 m

• Height: 1.100 m

• Tire Rolling Resistance: 0.0067

• Drag Coefficient: 0.125

• Wheelbase: 2.743 m

• Wheels and tires: Spoked wheels with covers and 20 x 1.75 inch Avocet slicks @ 85 psi.

• Brakes and suspension: Hydraulic disk brakes front, regenerative brakes on drive. Non-parallel double A-arm suspension with coil over shocks, both front and rear. Rack-and-pinion steering. Chassis: Aluminum T6061 tubing frame, carbon/glass/ Nomex sandwich body.

• Controls: Manual motor speed control

• Transmission: Direct Kevlar cog belt-driven rear wheel.

• Batteries: Eagle picher, Silver-Zinc, 80 cells, 3.0 kW-h, 33 kg wt., 120 Volts.

• Solar cells: Spectrolab K7, space grade, monocrystalline silicon, 9040 cells 16.5% efficiency, 800 W peak. 21 Parallel strings. 3 AERL peak power trackers.

• Type of Solar Panel: Fixed panel with 3 flat facet.

• Panel Voltage: 250 Volts

Solar Eagle III breathing

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LOS ANGELES

California State University, Los Angeles (also known as Cal State L.A. or CSULA) is a California public university located in Los Angeles, California near the city of Alhambra and the center of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. It is part of the California State University system.

Serving approximately 21,000 students primarily from the greater Los Angeles area. Cal State L.A. is organized into six colleges that incorporate 50 academic departments and divisions offering a variety of majors.

The hilltop campus is home to the nation's first Charter College of Education, a NASA-funded SPACE program, a National Science Foundation funded environmental research center and other award-winning engineering programs. U.S. News has ranked CSULA's undergraduate business program as one of the best in the Los Angeles area.

The teacher credential program has awarded more credentials in the state of California than any other public institution. Cal State L.A. also has the nation's largest early/pre-teen collegiate program, and the only graduate Criminalistics program west of the Mississippi River. The university awards more bachelor's degrees to Hispanics than any other California college or university.

It is also home to the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, a prestigious high school, notable for being the only arts high school in Los Angeles that allows for students from any district with in the L.A. county to attend. Classrooms are shared with Cal State L.A., however, Cal State L.A. activities tend to be separate from those of LACHSA. Notable LACHSA alumni include singer Josh Groban and actress Jenna Elfman.

CSULA HISTORY

Los Angeles State College was founded in 1947 by an act of the California legislature and opened for classes on the campus of the former Los Angeles City College. P. Victor Peterson was LACC's first president. In 1964 the school was renamed California State College at Los Angeles (CSCLA) when it became part of the California State College (CSC) system. In 1972, CSCLA was awarded University status and was renamed the California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA).

Programs

Early Entrance Program The Early Entrance Program (EEP) is designed to allow students between the ages of 11 and 16 to enter college at a significantly early age. Each year, roughly 25 students are chosen for this opportunity. Criteria include grades, test performance, a maturity evaluation, and successful completion of two Cal State L.A. courses. Once admitted, 'EEPsters' take both regular and honors classes, and follow a normal course of college-level study. Altogether, the program's participants number about 100.

• Official website

• Official athletics website

SOLAR EAGLE TEAM MEMBERS

Although the total friends and supporters of the Solar Eagle III number in the hundreds, a small core of 18 Cal State L.A. students, faculty and staff members have worked on the car consistently for nearly two years.

Canadian Solar Discovery Challenge

Dream Cup Solar Car Race Suzuka 2003 - Japan

Japanese World Solar Car Rallye

North American Solar Challenge

Phaethon 2004

Solar Express - Solar Bike Race

Sunrayce

SunRace 2003 - Australia

World Solar Car Rally - Japan

World Solar Rallye - Japan

EDUCATION  |  SOLAR CAR RACING TEAMS  |  SOLAR CAR RACING EVENTS  |  FILMS  |  MUSIC

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