01-01-2015, 05:29 PM
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#1 (permalink)
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Ultimate Fail
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The most 'normal' solar car i've seen.
Other than the skinny tires, and potato chip thinness of the car, the Sunswift eVe is the most normal solar car I have seen to date.
Even the roof height of the car is not as low as the usual solar car.
The shape is quite nice as well - even if it were powered by an ICE.
Wow 
Weight is just 700 lbs ( yes seven hundred ) and the Cd is point 16.
Sunswift
Students Build an Electric Car With Better Range Than a Tesla | WIRED
Here the car attempts to break the FIA speed record over a 500km course ( thats over 60 mph over 310 miles - just amazing :
I came across the car on this thread at the excellent site landspeedracing.com: Oldsmobile Aerotech?
It's an actual 'doorslammer' too ( looks manta ray like in this image to me ) : 
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01-01-2015, 05:32 PM
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#2 (permalink)
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Ultimate Fail
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EDIT : The thread title should have read " The most normal solar car I've seen ( Sunswift eVe ) "
Also, i just realized this should be in the Fossil Fuel Free section.
Here is that 'dynamic' image above straightened out : 
Last edited by Cd; 01-01-2015 at 05:47 PM..
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01-01-2015, 06:02 PM
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#3 (permalink)
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Ultimate Fail
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Last edited by Cd; 01-01-2015 at 06:33 PM..
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01-01-2015, 07:52 PM
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#4 (permalink)
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Master EcoModder
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From the Wired article:
"The drive was made over 120 laps on the 2.6-mile “Highway Circuit” at the Australian Automotive Research Centre in Victoria. A pair of drivers drove in three stints, swapping when the teams did tire changes to avoid fatigue."
I wonder what kind of tires were they using if they needed to be replaced two times on a 310 mile run.
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01-01-2015, 09:37 PM
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#5 (permalink)
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Spaced out...
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Love the looks of the car. I'd drive it in a heart beat.
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01-02-2015, 08:48 AM
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#6 (permalink)
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Rat Racer
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Quote:
Originally Posted by basjoos
I wonder what kind of tires were they using if they needed to be replaced two times on a 310 mile run.
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Australian for tire change.
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01-02-2015, 10:01 AM
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#7 (permalink)
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EcoModding Lurker
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Quote:
Originally Posted by basjoos
I wonder what kind of tires were they using if they needed to be replaced two times on a 310 mile run.
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Michelin radial X 95/80R16 . the bottom vid shows a wheel at some point. special tires for solar vehicles. |
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01-02-2015, 04:18 PM
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#8 (permalink)
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Master EcoWalker
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If the tires have to be changed that often at anything less than F1 cornering speeds and downforce it makes you wonder if those special tires just happen to have an engine, fuel tank and rolling thread aboard... 
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01-03-2015, 12:38 PM
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#9 (permalink)
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EcoModding Lurker
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I think durability has been sacrificed for light weight and Xtremely low rolling resistance.
bit more info: Michelin - Solar Tyres | World Solar Challenge 2015 |
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01-05-2015, 05:25 PM
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#10 (permalink)
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Master EcoModder
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tire wear
Quote:
Originally Posted by basjoos
From the Wired article:
"The drive was made over 120 laps on the 2.6-mile “Highway Circuit” at the Australian Automotive Research Centre in Victoria. A pair of drivers drove in three stints, swapping when the teams did tire changes to avoid fatigue."
I wonder what kind of tires were they using if they needed to be replaced two times on a 310 mile run.
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One team gave me a worn out Bridgestone Ecopia solar race tire years back and they told me that 200-miles was a typical lifespan on a road circuit.
I suspect that the continuous curves of a track environment scrubbed off the rubber at an accelerated rate,
Alex Tremulis said he was losing 20-mpg at 55-mph in the Subaru XT-100 when in the curves of his test track.
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