A QUT team will fly the flag for Australia in a world-first international race to find the fastest solar-powered car under the sun.
Team Arrow, sponsored by QUT and companies including Integral Technology and Energy Developments, and including three students and one graduate from QUT, will take part in the Abu Dhabi Solar Challenge later this week.
Starting tomorrow, the gruelling four-day competition tasks university teams from all over the world with designing, building and driving a solar-powered car to complete a 1,200 km course through the desert around Abu Dhabi.
The only Australian team in the event, Team Arrow is made up of 4th year Mechatronics Engineering student Amy Gunnell, 3rd year Electrical Engineering students Robert Mair and Charlie Lu, and Mechanical Engineering graduate Leslie Thang.
The team's solar car, which cost about $250,000, is a hybrid of solar and electric. Its body panels power a battery pack or are capable of solely powering the car, which runs on less power than a toaster.
"We designed and built the car in a year and we've spent the last 12 months making improvements to it and testing. For example we changed the driver interface and reduced the weight of the car," Amy said.
"We'll be aiming to match the 110 km speed limit for most of the race."
Despite facing teams with greater financial muscle in an unfamiliar environment, Team Arrow is aiming for a top five finish of the roughly 25 entrants.
"We are competing against teams with budgets of $2 million but, although we don't have the same financial power, we have a great group of very smart guys and an excellent car," Amy said.
"The car has been tested and is very reliable. Our main concern is ensuring we don't accidently end up driving on the wrong side of the road!"
The team's first foray into solar car competition saw them upset the odds in the 2013 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge.
Team Arrow was the first Australian car to finish the 3,000 km slog from Darwin to Adelaide.
*Amy is available for interview from Abu Dhabi*
Media contact:
Rob Kidd, QUT Media, 07 3138 1841, rj.kidd@qut.edu.au
After hours, Rose Trapnell, 0407 585 901
