UC Solar Team

The UC Solar Team is a multi-disciplinary student based team at the University of Calgary which has been established to periodically design and build a solar car to compete in the North American Solar Challenge (NASC) and the World Solar Challenge (WSC). The team is primarily composed of undergraduate students studying Engineering, Computer Science, Management, Geology, Kinesiology, Biology, etc.

Additional recommended knowledge

Essential Laboratory Skills Guide

Recognize and detect the effects of electrostatic charges on your balance

How to quickly check pipettes?

History

The University of Calgary Solar Car Team was initially established in the fall of 2004. The team was created to build a solar powered vehicle to complete in the 2005 NASC.

Miracle workers

The team performed a "miracle" by managing to establish a strong student base with which to construct the car, procure significant sponsorship and successfully build a highly successful vehicle with limited experience all in approximately 9 months. Established teams have two years to refine existing designs between rayces.

The X1 (Prototype)

In preparation for its first rayce, the UC Solar team decided to construct and test a prototype of their designs before building the final car. The X1 was a mock-up of and predecessor to Soleon. The X1 was used for driver training and allowed the team to test various design decisions to help ensure a successful final product. The X1 was constructed from a steel chassis with a fibreglass shell which was coated with gelcoat which made the vehicle approximately twice the final weight of its sister car.

First Rayce Results

In its first year of existence the UC Solar team successfully competed in the NASC and the WSC. In the 2005 NASC, Soleon, their first generation rayce car placed 13th out of 17 cars that made it to the finish line. In the 2005 WSC Soleon placed 10th overall (out of 18) and first in their class.

Achievements

The Cars

X1 (Prototype)

  Maximum Achieved Speed: ~70km/h
Solar Array Type: none
Chassis: Steel Space frame
Shell Composition: Fibreglass & Gelcoat
Commissioned: May 2005
Decommissioned: June 2006
Current Uses: X1 has been decommissioned. The chassis is all that remains and is presently suspended against a wall in the UC Solar Workshop.

Soleon

Maximum Achieved Speed: 140km/h
Solar Array Type: Silicon
Chassis: Aluminum Space Frame
Shell Composition: Carbon Fiber & Kevlar
Commissioned: June 2005
Decommissioned: July 2007
Current Uses: Soleon is slated to remain in service for future driver training, mechanical testing and PR events. Soleon is not intended to compete in future rayces in part due to structural damage sustained under normal use.