Students from the Netherlands have created a "solar car" that can be propelled by wind power
Students from Delft University of Technology have built a new "solar car", the Nuna 13, for a competition in Australia. The car has a clever feature - it can catch the wind and thereby reduce electricity consumption.
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The Brunel Solar Team is preparing for the World Solar Challenge, which will take place at the end of August. This year, the organisers have made the challenge more difficult by allowing batteries three times smaller than before. The competitors found a way out.
Nuna 13 became even lighter than the previous model. But the main novelty is the swivelling fin, which works like a sail. When a side wind blows, the fin turns round and turns it into a tailwind. The car literally floats on the road and is charged with solar energy at the same time.
Brunel Solar Team and their Nuna 13 car. Photo: TU Delft
This technology is especially important now. The race will take place when it's winter in Australia and there's little sunshine. And the battery has become tiny. But the students are optimistic: "This year we will give it our all for an eighth world title. We are better prepared than ever before."
It turns out that the Nuna 13 is a hybrid of an electric car and a sailboat on wheels for challenging race conditions.
Source: Autoweek
