OCTOBER 19-20, 2012 - YMCA University of Science & Technology

Proceedings of the National Conference on
Trends and Advances in Mechanical Engineering,
YMCA University of Science & Technology, Faridabad, Haryana, Oct 19-20, 2012
SOLAR ELECTRIC VEHICLE: A SUSTAINABLE MODE OF
TRANSPORT
Team Solaris 1 , Dr. Samsher Gautam 2
1
Team Solaris: Mohd Bilal, Parth Desai, Prateek Jain, Sagar Biyani, Shashank Tayal, Vaibhav Arora
Delhi Technological University, New Delhi
Abstract
The Solar Electric Vehicle, popularly known as SEV, is an important innovation to meet the future demands of
sustainable modes of transport. The present study investigates the need for development of SEV, and the strategy
of the Solar Electric Vehicle development at Delhi Technological University over the years. The competition
race strategy that is based on the maximization of the operational efficiency of the batteries to 90% is also
discussed. The flow of energy in Avenir, the latest version of the DTU-SEV is also presented. Further, the design
parameters of the chassis used in Avenir have been discussed, and stress analysis of the same on SolidWorks
2010 is done to reflect the feasibility of the design on the basis of factor of safety, calculated to be 2.3 or higher.
Keywords: Solar Car, Solar Electric Vehicle, SEV, Renewable Energy, Sustainable modes of transport, Solar
photovoltaic cells, MPPT
1. Introduction
The automotive industry currently relies on non-renewable sources of energy like petroleum oil. At the current
rate of consumption, these conventional sources of energy may be exhausted in the near future. In addition,
consumption of petroleum and other non-renewable sources of energy by the automotive industry contributes
highly to the ever increasing pollution levels, that has deleterious effects on biodiversity. Consequently, there
have been innovations that utilize cleaner and sustainable sources of energy, especially in the automotive
industry, and extensive research is being carried out in this field. In this regard, solar energy is of particular
interest as it can be utilized very efficiently as a substitute for fuel in the automotive as well as other engineering
sectors. The amalgamation of the automotive and the solar energy sector gave rise to the development of Solar
Electric Vehicles, popularly known as SEVs, which derive the input energy from the Sun. The solar energy
obtained from the sun, transformed into electrical energy by the cells, placed on the surface of the vehicle,
charges the batteries. The power from the battery pack drives the motor and eventually powers the shafts, thus
transforming the electrical energy to mechanical energy. With the efficiency of commercially available Solar
Cells increasing to around 30% [1] , highly efficient solar electric vehicles have been developed in countries across
the globe to fully utilise the solar energy. India especially has a huge potential in this field as the solar intensity is
high at all times of the year. Hence, Solar Electric Vehicles hold immense significance in India in near future
because of the abundant solar energy available.
In India, an initiative in the field of development of SEV was first taken by the faculty and students of Delhi
Technological University. The first vehicle under the project SOLARIS was presented in 2007. Thereafter, two
other vehicles with modifications and alterations in the design have been engendered, viz. Rogue in 2008 and
Avenir in 2011.Rogue participated in the 2008 South African Solar Challenge while Avenir participated in the
World Solar Challenge in Australia in October 2011. There have been improvements in design and structure of
the vehicle with each new version and the project continues to serve its aim of providing an alternative to fuel in
the automotive industry in future. The fourth vehicle is under development, with an objective to culminate into a
commercial Solar Electric Vehicle, ready to compete with the cars available in the market, running on fuel or
gas. This paper is an overview of the development made by Delhi Technological University students in the SEV
over the years. The structure, components and efficiency of the three models have been compared based on data
obtained from testing and that collected at the competitions. A strategy of maximizing the battery life was
followed at the 2011 World Solar Challenge. The paper showcases the race strategy in detail. Also, the energy
management systems including design of vehicle, analysis of race data are discussed in detail.
2. Comparative study of Rogue (2008) and Avenir (2011)
The electrical and mechanical components as well as the design of the two versions of the Solar Electric Vehicle-
Rogue(’08) and Avenir(’11) differ in type, configuration, and efficiency. Technical modifications were made to
improve efficiency, durability and to satisfy the event regulations of World Solar Challenge, which are different
from those in South African Solar Challenge. The differences in the geographical conditions of Australia and
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