aCENTAURI
SOLAR RACING
SWITZERLAND IS BACK
aCentauri Solar Racing’s mission is to inspire and educate students and the broader public about the power of sustainable technology in the field of mobility.
Our project involves designing, building and testing a solar car to drive 3'000 km through Australia in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, competing against top teams from universities around the world.
We aim to leave a sustainable impact on Swiss students and partners, representing ETH Zurich and Switzerland as the engineering and innovative powerhouses they are. Let’s aCe!
Our team of future engineers brings together diverse backgrounds and perspectives, fostering a dynamic environment where creativity thrives. Driven by motivation and shared goals, we are committed to pushing the boundaries of what's possible in engineering and shaping the future of mobility.
We’re dedicated to building the future of mobility, constantly pushing the limits of engineering through collaborative and groundbreaking work. Together, we strive to redefine what’s possible, bringing bold ideas and advanced technologies to life.
Our mission is to inspire students and industry leaders alike, cultivating a culture of continuous learning and knowledge-building in engineering. By developing valuable expertise, we prepare future engineers and empower the next generation of innovators and skilled employees.
We’re committed to aligning our work with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 4, 7, and 9), advancing sustainable technologies that benefit both people and the planet. By showcasing how innovation can drive positive change, we aim to contribute to a cleaner, more sustainable world through technological solutions.
To ensure low drag, we developed our special aeroshell and canopy around the chassis. Being built from Carbon-Fibre reinforced Polymers (CFRP) and Glass-Fibre reinforced Polymers (GFRP) they are lightweight while maintaining dimensional stability. Whereas most parts of our solar car are built with CFRP, we used GFRP to build the canopy. The reason why we chose GFRP and not CFRP is its radio transparency, which allows us to communicate wirelessly with the solar car via Bluetooth.
The eponymous feature of our car? The solar cells! Using 4 m2 of high-efficiency single crystalline silicon solar panels, our racing car can drive 75 km/h under the Australian sun without using any battery power. The efficiency does not only come from the cells: The layout, connections, deck, cabling, electronic, ... Everything is designed to harvest all that the sun offers and not lose a single watt!
Our solar car's suspension system is a remarkable achievement in balancing driver safety, reducing weight, and minimizing rolling resistance. This was no easy task, but our mechanical team has successfully designed and implemented a double wishbone suspension system in the front and a trailing arm for the rear. We are proud to say that our three-wheeled creation is now ready to take on the harsh roads of Australia!
He’s our dangerous child: During the last race, the battery caused 2 solar cars to burn down. That’s why we designed our battery system for robustness and reliability. Nevertheless, we can drive far with our battery: Although we have 1/20 capacity of a Tesla, we can drive more than 400 km with 60 km/h in complete darkness!
The Ironbird is the backbone of the vehicle's electronic and mechanical systems. At its heart is the Inverter Control Unit, which interfaces with the drivetrain and controls the motor. The high voltage system includes the drivetrain, the battery and the Maximum Power Point Trackers (MPPTs) for optimal performance of the photovoltaic system. Next up, our steering wheel module, which is where the magic happens. With this you can easily control everything from the lighting, cameras and horn to the ventilation. And last but not least, the logger that records all network traffic to prevent data loss.
The Bridgestone World Solar Challenge is a biennial event that brings together innovators from around the world to race solar-powered cars across the Australian outback. The event is not only a thrilling race, but also a platform for showcasing the latest advancements in sustainable mobility.
From solar panels to aerodynamic designs, the participating teams employ various technologies to maximize their car's performance and efficiency.
The race covers over 3000 km of challenging terrain, providing a real-world test for the solar cars and their teams. The event attracts teams from top universities, research institutes, and corporations, all with a common goal of promoting clean energy and sustainable transportation.
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