The project is innovative and forward-looking: motor racing without using a drop of fuel, only the power of the sun. That is the aim of students and professors at a technical college in Germany – Fachhochschule Schweinfurt – who have formed the FH-SW Solar Racing e.V. society.

The solar racer, which is currently being built, is due to take part in the World Solar Challenge in Australia in October 2011. In this 3000 km race from Darwin to Adelaide, teams from all over the world compete against each other to find the most reliable and efficient vehicle.

FH-SW Solar Racing e.V’s vehicle is only driven by energy from the sun. The futuristic-looking racing car gets its power from a six-square-metre area covered in specially developed high-efficiency solar panels. Optimal use of the available energy is needed. Losses in the electronic components have to be minimised as do the weight of the vehicle and its aerodynamic resistance. That is why the car is mostly made from aluminium and carbon fibres: the racing car’s frame is made of EN-AW 6082 aluminium alloy and has already been welded.

The solar racer is expected to achieve an average speed of over 70 km/h and reach a top speed of 125 km/h. With a Cd value of only 0.12, it is optimally designed for solar racing.