Nuna 3 wins World Solar Cup for the 3rd Time 147
jberends writes "The Dutch TU Delft team wins for the third time in a row the World Solar Challenge in Australia. The average speed of Nuna 3 was 102.75 km/h over the 3021 km strech which is the first time that an average speed above 100 km/h is achieved in the Challenge. It is also the first time in the history of the race that a team wins 3 times in a row."
Dark days ahead for the losing teams (Score:1, Funny)
Proud to be Dutch (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Proud to be Dutch (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Proud to be Dutch (Score:2)
And no, that doesn't rhyme in Dutch. ;)
RTFA: 3 times (Score:1)
Re:Proud to be Dutch (Score:1)
I'm not dutch, but I do work for ABN AMRO.
Re:Proud to be Dutch (Score:1)
Re:Nothing wrong with nationalism (Score:1)
Troll alert?
Re:Are you also proud of your goverment? (Score:2)
Great! (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Great! (Score:2)
Re:Great! (Score:2)
Go the Dutch!
History (Score:5, Interesting)
Does anyone with more info than the web site know what has accounted for the improvement? Are we just seeing lighter materials? More efficient solar sails? More efficient transfer of solar energy to kinetic?
Just curious
Re:History (Score:2, Informative)
Re:History (Score:2)
Re:History (Score:5, Informative)
1. The 'best' shell back in my days were the ones that sort of looked like a fish. A round front that tapered to a flat (mammallian-like) tail. These days the best shell is a flat rectangle with a little bubble for the drivers head. Not only is this aerodynamically more efficient, but it exposes a greater portion of the cars solar cells to the sun at any given time, and a more uniform power output across all sun conditions.
2. Solar cells are better. Maybe from about 20% efficiency to 25-30% efficiency for the best cells.
3. Weight reduction: fiberglass monococ shells now made with carbon fiber; replacement of metal components with composites where possible. Aluminum wiring instead of copper.
4. Efficienct DC hub motors: These have come a long way in the past 15 years.
5. Battery technology: Hasn't advance too far, but still lighter more enegy dense packs are always being developed. I don't know what is state-of-the art these days...
Re:History (Score:2)
One other improvement was adding suspension! Some teams left out suspension as a means of saving weight. They then found that although the cars had the power to go faster, it was simply impossible to drive them due to handling or comfort problems.
Re:History (Score:2)
Re:History (Score:2)
The Australian competition has been running since 1987 (and I remember coverage of the first one in the news).
It may be that only a few vehicles didn't have suspension. I suspect that, back then, the chasis of many was probably not much more than a couple of cannibalised racing-bike frames welded together.
Re:History (Score:2, Informative)
Re:History (Score:2)
Re:History (Score:1)
Re:History (Score:2)
I don't think they have a closed course - there aren't many roads between Darwin and Adelaide. You couldn't stop the other traffic.
As for speed limits, unless something has changed recently, the open roads in the Northern Territory don't have limits. To make things even more "interesting", they also have road trains [jandd.org] which are very, very scary.
Re:History (Score:5, Informative)
Re:History (Score:1)
Re:History (Score:2)
Nah, it's just global warming.
Actually 105 km/hr (Score:4, Interesting)
Congradulations (Score:3, Interesting)
Congrats team Nuna!
Re:Congradulations (Score:2, Insightful)
30 hours in that thing the driver diservers some props
Re:Congradulations (Score:3, Informative)
To name a few:
- This car is specifically tuned for maximum average speed when running on solar. No storage or even room beyond the bare minimum necessary.
- The Sun shines a lot in Australia this time of year, compared to other places.
- Not a lot of stopping and going is required. Acceleration is the real energy hog.
Three times in a row? (Score:2, Interesting)
While winning the race is indeed an accomplishment, I think the "Three Times in a Row" comment needs some perspective. Accoridng to the link, the race started in 1987 and was run every three years for the first few times. Now, it is a biennial event. So, by my rough guess (note that the "history" site is not clear), this event has only been run about eight or nine times. It's not like there have been 40 or so races in the past....
I'm amazed (Score:5, Funny)
Re:I'm amazed (Score:2, Funny)
Re:I'm amazed (Score:1)
non-slashdot'd link (Score:2, Informative)
World Solar Challenge [wsc.org.au]
Speed limit? (Score:1, Interesting)
Re:Speed limit? (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Speed limit? (Score:2)
So yes he is living the the same Europe you are allowed to drive 90KM/h or 80KM/h in most countries.
Re:Speed limit? (Score:2)
Re:Speed limit? (Score:2)
I presume there is some project (with a multi-million budget) to get that unified all over Europe.
Re:Speed limit? (Score:1)
Re:Speed limit? (Score:1)
Re:Speed limit? (Score:2)
Heh, we can but dream...
In all Australian states except the Northern Territory (where about half of this race is run) the "default" speed limit on the open road is 100km/h. There are also growing stretches of divided, dual-carriageway (or bigger) highways throughout the country that have posted speed limits of 110km/h (many of equal or better design and condition than German autobahns).
Also, these speed limits are *brutally* enforced (for example, in Victoria, more t
Re:Speed limit? (Score:2)
You guys have been around a while.
Re:Speed limit? (Score:1)
The race is from Darwin, in the north of Australia, to Adelaide, in the south, and passes through two states with different road laws. In the Northern Territory there is no speed limit on the open road. And when the race passes the border into South Australia they hit a state wide limit of 110km/hr. I would imagine that roughtly 60-70% of the distance would be in the NT under no speed restrictions.
Re:Speed limit? (Score:2)
Then again, nobody seemed to be following it. We went up to 185 and were often passed like we weren't moving. Turns out you're more likely to be pulled over for blocking the passing lane, or passing on the right.
I would never have tried going that fast in Toronto - I'd lose my license in a minute. Over there everybody was doing it. And it was fun.
Bush's New Energy Policy: Solar Power (Score:5, Funny)
(Press) Washington, DC
September 28, 2005
President Bush announced today a bold initiative to help the world's energy crisis. Bush recently read in a newspaper that a Dutch solar-powered car, named the Nuna 3, won the World Solar Challenge in Australia topping a hearty 102 km/h. President Bush was so impressed by the the performance of the solar-powered Nuna 3 vehicle, that he has announced that he is redirecting all energy research funding to study how to power vehicles on solar energy and soon have all major automobile manufacturers produce solar vehicles that will be give off little or no emissions. "It's just the smart and prudent thing to do. I know in Texas we get a lot of sun, and now we can put it to work." Bush stated.
He said it is due time for the United States, and soon the world, to free itself from dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels. The promise of the "unlimited resource of solar power" has emboldened him to take this courageous initiative. Many industry leaders were shocked by this sudden announcement, but have agreed to participate fully in implementing this new solar technology. "The future for travel is bright, indeed." Bush quipped.
Re:Bush's New Energy Policy: Solar Power (Score:1)
Re:Bush's New Energy Policy: Solar Power (Score:2)
That's what the new space shuttle is for. (Score:1)
Re:Bush's New Energy Policy: Solar Power (Score:2)
Re:Bush's New Energy Policy: Solar Power (Score:1)
Rules for next year's competition (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Rules for next year's competition (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Rules for next year's competition (Score:1)
im really a little more than annoyed at people who bash the SUV to no end while at the same time - over looking the trucks that carry 90% of americas goods through the country. even if SUV's dissappeared tomorrow - we'd still have a incredible amount of tractor-trailers... and the
Re:Rules for next year's competition (Score:5, Insightful)
SUVs are normally used to drive ONE ass (or at most a few) around. Those Locomotives are pulling entire trains with assess or freight.
So the total amount of pollution/work is a lot better for them than for your SUV.
About the only justification for a SUV is either having a pet elefant to feed or having an incredibly big ass in which case you indeed have better things to worry about.
Jeroen
Re:Rules for next year's competition (Score:3, Interesting)
A city person shows his elitist provincialism.
The main purpose for SUVs is to provide taansport and cargo carrying capacity for people living in, working in, or having to travel to - a site outside a city, especially if off the paved road network - or the road network at all - but also if weather is a problem (mud, snow, ice, mountainous ter
Re:Rules for next year's competition (Score:2)
If you really work outdoors, you want a tractor or a rangerover. Not an SUV. Plus the demographics show that a vast mayority (90%+) of SUV's are never used off-road at all (which isn't much of a surprise, as they drive like shit off road).
Re:Rules for next year's competition (Score:3, Informative)
Obviously posted by someone who doesn't "really work outdoors" and has no clue. Talk to some of the people who do sometime.
There are jobs for which a tractor is more appropriate. There are also jobs for which a bulldozer is more appropriate. This does not in any way reduce the jobs for which an SUV is either the best fit or the most practical choice for a single vehicle to do a diverse SET of jobs.
As for the Range Rover: There a
Re:Rules for next year's competition (Score:2)
But hey, you know everything.
Re:Rules for next year's competition (Score:3, Insightful)
Your typical locomotive, esp. nowadays uses very little fuel for what it transports, esp. when compared to other ways of transporting things. Improvement would be most welcome here still of course.
2) Tractor-trailers & 3) the smog put out by practically every company in north jersey.
The fact that there are possibly worse problems does not mean that you should not so
Re:Rules for next year's competition (Score:1)
Regards,
J.
Re:Rules for next year's competition (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Rules for next year's competition (Score:1)
Maximum speed (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Maximum speed (Score:2)
Road permit was issued for vehicles (Score:2)
Re:Road permit was issued for vehicles (Score:2)
If you're willing to pony up the money or political perks(like getting into the news for supporting a solar race), you can get government permission for many things.
Like what was said, the cops were probably told: Leave them alone.
Oh, and your link doesn't work.
Fuel cell rather than battery? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Fuel cell rather than battery? (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Fuel cell rather than battery? (Score:2)
MW is a unit of power. You need to multiply that with time to get energy.
Taking a leap, I would guess that he meant megawatt-hour instead of megawatt. To put that claim into perspective, the energy density of gasoline is 12 MWh/kg [hypertextbook.com]. How much gasoline would such a 300 mile trip take and how much MWh is that?
Re:Fuel cell rather than battery? (Score:2)
If anyone sees a problem in my calculations, please correct it.
Given a 300 mile trip at 30mpg (my car can do 35 on highway, and that it is not a hybrid), gives us 10 gallons of gas.
1.3 x 10^8 J/gallon x 10 gallon = 1.3 x 10^9 J
Gasoline 4.4 x 10^7 J/kg
1.3 x 10^9 J/ 4.4 x
Re:Fuel cell rather than battery? (Score:3, Informative)
I saw one guy in WIRED magazine say the amount of electrical power required to convert water to hydrogen to move a car 300 miles is measured in MEGAWATTS. Is there any more info on this?
It shouldn't be measured in terms of power at all, but rather in terms of energy, e.g. megawatt-hours. To move a given mass a given distance requires a certain amount of energy. To move a given mass a given distance in a given amount of time requires a certain amount of power.
Re:Fuel cell rather than battery? (Score:4, Interesting)
The problem with solar cars is that the amount of sunlight striking them isn't adequate: A square yard is only getting about 1 1/3 HP worth of power in direct noon sunlight, BEFORE conversion inefficiencies (which lose maybe 4/5 of it just for starters).
Now you CAN get to freeway speeds with an ultrastreamlined vehicle, on a nearly level surface, running under the clear skys and on the dry pavement of the driest continent on the planet. But that's not going to haul loads up mountain passes in a forest, or do much of ANYTHING in northern lattitude, perpetually-cloudy, often wet or snow-covered places like Washington, Oregon, Michigan, Wisconsin,
Solar powered cars - with the solar cells ON the car - are an interesting toy. They might advance some parts of vehicle technology significantly, and possibly lead to practical stored-power alternative-energy powered vehicles. But don't expect a sun-car as practical transportation in the future.
If self-collecting sun powered vehicles were practical I'd think evolution would already have produced sun-powered ambulatory beings above the level of the flatworm/algae symbiosis.
fuel cells have always been "20 years away" (Score:2)
CARB's Fuel Cell Detour on the Road to Zero Emission Vehicles (pdf) (complete) [evworld.com]
Perspectives on Fuel Cell and Battery Electric Vehicles [ca.gov] (problems w/ fuel cells)
Letter to California Air Resource Board [CARB] against watering down the ZEV mandate [acpropulsion.com] (by requiring advanced technology batteries.. Later they watered it down even more by giving in to the fuel cell bait & switch)
WSC Map Feature (Score:2)
Re:WSC Map Feature (Score:2, Insightful)
Test drivers killed? (Score:1)
Here's a shot of the Winning Team (Score:4, Funny)
Heres the context link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/4289958.st
MPH Anyone? (Score:1)
Re:MPH Anyone? (Score:1)
If you can't convert from Kilometres to furlongs in your head, we don't want you here.
Re:MPH Anyone? (Score:1)
Re:MPH Anyone? (Score:2)
Maybe it is not an american only website?
And did you know that both Australia and the Netherlands use the metric system?
You learn something everyday; you lesson for today is: Your bellybutton is not the centre of the world (mine already is:).
Re:MPH Anyone? (Score:1)
28+% Solar Panel Efficiency (Score:2)
Every time a more efficient cell is produced, they manage to incorporate them.
winning features of the top 4 cars (Score:5, Informative)
Re:winning features of the top 4 cars (Score:2)
Sure, they had a lot of money, too...so what? They used that money to ba
This looks like the next ... (Score:1)
Not without flemish women (Score:5, Interesting)
Although Laura [nuonsolarteam.nl] isn't half bad either.
Re:Not without flemish women (Score:1)
Laura = very yes
Veronique = yes
Re:Not without flemish women (Score:2, Funny)
Doesn't Nuna mean nooner in Dutch? 3 nooners in a row with those babes is a winner in my book.
Coral Cache links (Score:1)
http://www.nuonsolarteam.nl.nyud.net:8090/nuna3/pi ctures/nightcliff4/images/10_anne-marie%20en%20ver o.jpg [nyud.net]
http://www.nuonsolarteam.nl.nyud.net:8090/nuna3/te amlid_annemarie.php [nyud.net]
http://www.nuonsolarteam.nl.nyud.net:8090/nuna3/te amlid_veronique.php [nyud.net]
http://www.nuonsolarteam.nl.nyud.net:8090/nuna3/te amlid_laura.php [nyud.net]
Re:Not without flemish women (Score:2)
Slashdot becomes Hot Or Not [hotornot.com]...
Re:Not without flemish women (Score:2)
Re:For the metrically challenged (Score:2)
Re:For the metrically challenged (Score:2)
Re:Solar power is not the way to convert people. (Score:3, Insightful)
Why? Do you enjoy being laughed at?
Jeroen
Re:Solar power is not the way to convert people. (Score:2)
The MEG principle is just flawed. The basic math behind it is flawed. The units don't even match...
A basic understanding off physics would tell you such a device won't work.
A basic understanding off math would tell you were the flaw is in this particular device.
Jeroen
Re:Solar power is not the way to convert people. (Score:2)
And let me tell you:
Either maxwells laws or that generator is correct. And im betting all i will ever own on maxwell....
Re:Damn metric nazis... (Score:4, Funny)
Yeah. That last 0.0000616 miles is a real bitch.