Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 14.11
In 2007 the solar car from Bochum University reached average speeds of 73 km/h during
the 3000 km race.
Photos: Bochum University of Applied Sciences, http://www.hs-bochum.de/solarcar.html.
102.7 km/h. As Australia imposes speed limits on public roads, it will not be pos-
sible from a practical standpoint to increase this speed much further. Therefore, in
2007 the rules were changed to include limiting the size of the solar generator to
six square metres and stipulating a seated position for the driver.
Teams from all over the world have been participating in the competition for many
years. In 2007 the Solarworld No. 1 racing car from Bochum University of Applied
Sciences reached fourth place (Figure 14.11). It took the team from Bochum around
41 hours of pure driving time to cover the 3000 km distance. The winning car Nuon
Nuna II from the Netherlands just needed 33 hours.
14.3.4 Game over CO
2
!
The German solar company SOLON AG presented a 100% carbon-free mobility
concept in 2007 with the slogan 'Game over CO
2
! ' . The central element of
this concept is a new electric motorbike developed by the Vectrix company in
the USA.
The two-seater reaches a peak speed of 100 km/h. Its good acceleration behaviour
enables it to move quickly, particularly in city traffi c. The nickel - metal - hybrid
battery provides a range of 55 to 90km of driving and can be recharged in two
hours.
At the fi lling station of the future, which already operates successfully in a number
of cities, tracked photovoltaic modules are used to charge the electric motorbikes
(Figure 14.12). In the meantime the electric bike is being produced in unit quantities.
Even if purchasers do not have a solar fi lling station nearby, they can operate
the motorbike carbon-free using a photovoltaic system on a house roof or with
renewable electricity from a green energy supplier. The Internet page www.
game-over-co2.de makes very interesting reading, even for non-bikers.
