Sunswift eVe solar car

[oil pan 4]

Then it will be bought by the oil companies and crushed and all involved have to sign a non disclosure and non competition contract. Any one who doesn't dies of a heart attack, car accident or apparent suicide.

[oldtamiyaphile]

With the conclusion of this year's solar race, I realised why they only race from North to South (southern hemisphere).

It's the only way to keep the solar panels oriented to the sun!

If they tried going back to the start point, their panels would essentially be in perpetual shade.

So we'll take these solar races seriously when they start and finish at the same point.

[NeilBlanchard]

Um, the suns tracks from east to west everywhere, and it is in the northern sky in the southern hemisphere.

These solar racers are amazingly efficient, and the engineering and design should be applauded.

[oldtamiyaphile]

So there's no reason why the ideal panel orientation is towards the equator?

Take this image:



The imagine driving towards the equator with the panels all oriented 20* towards the poles.

[IamIan]

Originally Posted by oldtamiyaphile

If they tried going back to the start point, their panels would essentially be in perpetual shade.

The sun isn't at a low enough angle to put those panels in 'perpetual shade'.

Although yes , the angle of orientation (variation from perpendicular) would be less optimal. Driving that from south to north (in southern Heme-sphere) , instead of north to south (in southern Heme-sphere).

Originally Posted by oldtamiyaphile

So there's no reason why the ideal panel orientation is towards the equator?

The imagine driving towards the equator with the panels all oriented 20* towards the poles.

I think the aerodynamic benefit of this shape is a larger effect/reason to do it, than the improved solar orientation.