Africa-Press – Namibia. THE Sunchaser 4, a fourth-generation solar car built by students and staff of Tshwane University of Technology in South Africa, visited the capital on Saturday.
Team leader Tiaan Oosthuizen said the car would not be mass produced, but would be used to test various technologies on.
“We will, for example, test the battery, steering, battery management, and safety systems, as well as the solar system we develop in-house,” he said.
He said the various “small” technologies would then be introduced into the commercial market to assist manufacturers of solar vehicles.
“We are doing this to make automotive manufacturers understand the technology does exist, it works, and it is local,” Oosthuizen said.
He said the car is the university’s most technologically advanced one, and will aim to cover a total distance of 2 153 km on the country’s national highways.
One of the challenges the team has been faced with is obtaining assistance, since their project is unique.
Ryan van Greunen (27), one of two drivers who will be driving the car through Namibia, is currently doing his master’s degree in mechanical engineering.
He said driving a solar-powered vehicle is different to other vehicles.
“It is not like any other car, it does not have hard steering, which makes it difficult to drive. It is also very hot in there, because the sun basically bakes it. There is a fan inside, but it’s not aircon,” Van Greunen said.
He said the car is light, causing it to be moved by wind and trucks passing by.
The Sunchaser 4 team arrived in Namibia on Wednesday and left for Swakopmund yesterday.
The car can travel at a speed of up to 120km/h, but will most likely cruise below100km/h for energy efficiency and increased safety.
At a mass of about 200kg and a rolling resistance about three times less than that of a regular vehicle, the Sunchaser 4 has a range of around 550km on a flat road during clear sky conditions.
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