University of Kentucky\u27s Solar Powered Car: Gato del Sol IV

Engineering students at the University of Kentucky are designing and building a new solar powered car to compete in the 2010 North American Solar Challenge and the 2011 World Solar Challenge. The car, “Gato del Sol IV” will be powered by an array of 2,132 Gallium Arsenide photovoltaic cells. The cells are mounted to a carbon fiber and honeycomb paper core shell. The shell rides on a lightweight aluminum tube chassis, which is then powered by a 90% efficient brushless DC motor. Gato del Sol IV will be one of the fastest solar powered cars in the world with an estimated top speed of 70 mph. “Gato IV” is building on the team’s previous successes including a 2nd place finish at the 2009 Formula Sun Grand Prix. The team defeated top schools including Northwestern and California–Berkeley at that race. To build a better car, the team is improving aerodynamics, the solar array, and shedding 50 lbs in comparison to the previous car. The team’s research advances the potential for mainstream solar-powered transportation. The cars excel in using small amounts of power to travel at high speeds. According to finite element analysis, “Gato IV” is expected to be able to travel 46 mph on the 1500 watts from its solar array. In addition, the project will continue to benefit K-12 students throughout the state, because the previous car was taken to elementary, middle, and high schools, to inspire students to study math, science, and engineering. More information can be found at www.uksolarcar.com