UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES SOLAR RACING CAR TEAM AUSTRALIA

UNIVERSITY of NEW SOUTH WALES

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HISTORY

The UNSW Solar Racing Team (SRT) was formed in 1995. Since the team’s inception it has participated in a number of events including:

1996 WSC – 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.

World Solar Challenge 2003

1999 NRMA Transcontinental Record Attempt – with the car NRMA Sunswift II completed 4,012km 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 WSC – NRMA Sunswift II finished a respectable 18th out of 48 international entries.

2000 Whirlpool SunRace – Placing second until the penultimate day of the race, the car was forced off the road by another motorist sustaining significant race-ending damage. Despite the accident the driver was unharmed and the team’s spirits were high as they reflected on what had been achieved over the previous five days.

World Solar Challenge 2001

World Solar Challenge 2001

Topcell – the UNSW SRT embarked on an ambitious project to manufacture its own solar cells to build a new array. This was a world first for any solar car team. The SRT also developed a new cell encapsulation method which allowed the team to construct curved panels – another world first.

2001 WSC – UNSW Sunswift II placed 11th out of an international field of 40 vehicles. The team overcame electrical problems on the first day to make up a lot of ground and take this placing.

2002 AGO SunRace – after eight days of close racing the team finished 2nd in a field of four world class solar cars. The team was also awarded the inaugural SunRace Enterprise Award for technical innovation for the Topcell project.

2003 SunRace – during a race characterised by poor weather conditions, UNSW Sunswift II again finished as the 2nd placed solar car.

2003 World Solar Challenge – a decision was made to withdraw from the 2003 World Solar Challenge, after the 4WD towing UNSW Sunswift II was involved in an accident on route to Darwin.

WhirlPool SunRace 2000

WhirlPool SunRace 2000

Race / Year	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
SunRace	Withdrew	---	2nd	2nd	Cancelled	---
World Solar Challenge	---	11th	---	Withdrew	---	To Be Held
Transcontinental Record	---	---	Postponed	---	---	---

SPONSORS :

The University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales is the naming rights sponsor of UNSW Sunswift III. Professor Mark S Wainwright, UNSW's Vice-Chancellor, has been named as the patron of the UNSW Solar Racing Team.

TECHNICAL PARTNERS

Boeing - Hawker De Havilland
Boeing - Hawker De Havilland provides the UNSW SRT with composite materials, workspace and facilities. Staff at Boeing also provides the UNSW SRT with valuable advice and training on procedures relating to the use of composite materials.

TAFE NSW - Sydney Institute
The Sydney Institute provides the UNSW SRT with facilities, advice and skilled labour for the manufacture of most metal components of UNSW Sunswift III. The Sydney Institute also provides the team with paint-booths and skilled staff to manufacture and make repairs to moulds and plugs.

Sunswift II body lifted

MAJOR SPONSORS

	NRMA – Motoring and Services NRMA is a long standing sponsor of the UNSW SRT. As well as providing financial assistance to the team, NRMA also organises an advanced technology exhibition which has been running for a number of years and showcases a range of alternative transportation options.
	The Faculty Of Engineering The Faculty of Engineering of the University of NSW provides the UNSW SRT with a monetary grant, use of a range of facilities as well as valuable advice and support. The UNSW SRT helps promote the faculty at events such as UNSW Open Day and Sunsprint (model solar car challenge).
	U Committee The U Committee is a group of friends of the University, including staff, spouses of staff, and any others who wish to contribute to the University. Since its inception in 1963, this charity has raised over $2,000,000 for many projects and activities on campus that otherwise may not have been funded. The U-Committee's major event is the Annual Book Fair.
	mouldCAM mouldCAM was established in 2002 and runs one of the largest 5-axis CNC milling machines in the Southern Hemisphere. The plugs for UNSW Sunswift III were manufactured here.

ORGANISATION A-Z	CAR'S NAME	TEAM NAME
Aristotle Uni of Thessaloniki, Helios	Helios	Faculty of Engineering
Arizona Solar Racing Team - USA		Arizona Solar Racing Team
Auburn University	Sol of Auburn	Sol of Auburn
Aurora Team, Australia	Aurora	Aurora Vehicle Association
Bochum Solar Car Team		Das SolarCar der Fachhochschule
California Poly S University	SLO Burn Sidewinder	San Luis Obispo
Clarkson Uni Solar Car Team, USA		The Solar Knights
Delft University - Holland	NUNA I & `II 2003`
Dell Winston School	The Hunter	Solar Car Challenge
Desert Rose, Northern Territory Uni	`FUJI DESERT ROSE`
Drexel SunDragon Home Page
École de technologie supérieure Quebec	Eclipse V (5)	Éclipse Vehicular Solaire
École Polytechnique de Montréal	Esteban
Eko-Auto Poland	Eko-Auto
Electron Analytic Corporation	Dark Horse	EAC Skunkworks
George Washington University		George Washington Uni Solar Car
Georgia Institute of Technology	Solar Jackets	Solar Jackets
Heliodet, Germany	Heliodet	Heliodet, Solar Car Team
Helios - Lille, France	Hélios IV	Hautes Etudes d'Ingénieur
Honda Car Company	`Honda`
Illinois State University	Surya, Ratha, Mercury	Illinois State University Team
Iowa State University	Fusion	Team PrISUm
Jonasun Japan	Orbit	Solar Car Paviion
Kansas State University	Paragon	Solar Car Racing Team
Los Altos Academy of Engineering		Los Altos Solar Car Team
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Tesseract	MIT
McGill University Monteal, Canada	iSun	Team iSun
McMaster University	Phoenix	McMaster Uni Solar Car Project
Messiah College Grantham, Penns	Genesis II	Genesis II Solar Racing Team
Michigan State University		Solar Racing Team
Michigan Technological University		Solar Car Team
Minnesota S Uni-Mankato/Winona S Uni		Minnesota Solar Car Team
North Dakota State University	The Double Deuce	Sunsetters - Solar Race Team
Northwestern University	N'Uvation	Northwestern University
Nuon Solar Team, Netherlands	Nuon 3	Het Nuon Solar Team
Osaka Sangyo University, Japan	OSU model S	Solar Car Team
Prairie View A&M University	Solaris	Sun Panthers
Principia College	RA 6	Principia College Solar Car Team
Purdue University	SPOT 2	Purdue University Solar Racing
Queen's University Canada	Radiance `Gemini`	Queen's Solar Vehicle Team
Red River College	Red River Raycer	Red River College Solar Car Team
Rice University		Rice University
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology		Rose-Hulman Solar Car Team
Southern Illinois Uni Edwardsville	Cougar Cruiser	Southern Illinois University
South Bank University, UK	`Mad Dog`	South Bank Mad Dog Team
South Dakota School Mines & Tech	Solar Motion	South Dakota Solar Motion Team
Southern Taiwan University Tech		Southern Taiwan Solar Team
Stanford University	Solstice	Stanford Solar Car Project
Tamagawa University - Japan		Tamagawa Solar Challenge Project
Team Futura, Italy	FUTURA 2	Team Futura
Team SunLake - Japan	Phaethon model	Team SunLake TOYOBO
Texas A&M University	Columbia `Sunraycer`	Texas A&M Motorsports Team
The Power of One - Toronto	Xof1	The Xof1 solar car team
Tufts University	ANNE E. B. II	Nerd Girls
University of Alberta		University of Alberta Team
University of Arizona	Drifter	Solar Racing Team
University of Calgary		UC Calgary Solar Car Team
University of California-Berkeley	CalSol	California Calsol Team
University of Kansas	Solution, CATalyst	KSU Solar Car Racing Team
University of Kentucky	Gato del Sol II	Solar Car Team
University of Massachusetts	Spirit of Mass 413	Lowell Solar Racing Team
University of Michigan	Momentum	University of Michigan
University of Minnesota	Borealis III	U of M Solar Vehicle Project
University of Missouri - Columbia	Suntiger VI	The Mizzou Solar Car Project
University of Missouri - Rolla	Solar Miner V	Solar Minor Car Team
University of North Dakota	Subzero 3	Team SubZero
University of Ontario Institute of Tech		UOI Solar Vehicle Team
Uni of New South Wales SCR Team	UNSW Sunswift III	New South Wales SCR Team
University of Patras, Hermes		Solar Car Team
University of Pennsylvania	Keystone	Penn Solar Racing
University of Queensland	Sunshark	Queensland Solar Team
University of South Australia	Ned KELLY	SA Solar Car Consortium
University of Texas at Austin	Solar Steer	Solar Vehicles Team
University of Texas at El Paso		Solraycers
University of Toronto	Blue Sky	Blue Sky Solar Racing
University of Toulouse	Heliotrope	Heliotrope Solar Car Team
University of Utah		Vehicle Design Team Utah
University of Virginia		UVa Solar Car Team
University of Waterloo	Midnight Sun VIII	Midnight Sun Solar Race Team
University of Western Ontario	Sunstang	Sunstang USP Solar Car Team
USP Solar Car Team		USP Solar Car Team
Western Michigan University	Sunseeker 05	W Michigan Solar Car Team
Yale University	The John Lee	`Team Lux`

IF YOUR TEAM OR EVENT IS NOT LISTED HERE, PLEASE CONTACT US.

SOLAR CAR EVENTS

American Solar Challenge

American Tour de Sol

American World Solar Challenge - Formula Sun

Australian World Solar Challenge

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

During these competitions, students learn about solar panels, electric motors, electronics, vehicle chassis, bodywork, aerodynamics, suspension, batteries and how to solve practical problems during the design process, while working as a team. It's demanding stuff and more fun that laying in bed watching TV, where individuals may seek inspiration, but achieve very little.

THINKING OF BUILDING YOUR OWN SOLAR CAR? CHECK OUT THE PAGES BELOW AS THEY COME ONLINE........

1. Chassis - and seating

2. Mechanics - suspension, steering, brakes

3. Motor and drive train

4. Motor controller

5. Solar Array - usually part of body

6. Batteries or fuel cells

7. Electrical System - and instruments

8. Driver Controls - switches, lighting, etc

9. Bodywork - Screen, etc

SOLAR CAR PART FINDER

A taste for adventure

Solar Cola - a healthier alternative

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