NEWS: Another high noon duel?

By Michael Banovsky
Photo courtesy McMaster University

Austin, Texas has seen many midday duels under the scorching sun. This year, the competitors won’t be using wild west-style revolvers, but solar cars.

Team members of the McMaster Solar Car Project have just unveiled one of Canada's entries into the first-ever North American Solar Car Challenge. Named Phoenix, the solar car features a redesigned aerodynamic shell, a three-wheel chassis system for reduced road resistance, a more efficient solar array with 479 solar cells, and new suspension, steering and braking systems for improved performance and handling.

"We've engineered Phoenix based on what we've learned from our previous two cars, Fireball 1 and Fireball 2," explains Avery Yuen, Project Manager, McMaster Solar Car Project. "We've found better ways to tap the sun's energy and overcome earth's natural resistances to make Phoenix travel faster over a longer period of time while making it easier to drive."

The first-ever North American Solar Challenge is a special edition of the biannual American Solar Car Challenge and will run from July 17 to 27. More than 30 teams from across North America will race on a highway route that starts in Austin, Texas, crosses the Canadian border into Manitoba and finishes in Calgary, Alberta.

Cars will reach speeds of over 100 km/h while using the equivalent electrical output of a toaster.

"Engineering a solar car lets us put into practice what we've learned," said Karleen Dudeck, Business Manager, McMaster Solar Car Project. "It also lets us explore engineering solutions in areas such as alternative energy and environmental protection."

The team has spent the last 12 months working on designing, manufacturing and fundraising for Phoenix. More than 50 local organizations and individuals have contributed to the development of the car, which is valued at over $300,000.

The project can be found at www.solarcar.mcmaster.ca