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A test of Teamwork, engineering skill endurance across the Australian Outback

After placing 15th in the 2011 Veolia World Solar Challenge, MIT’s Solar Electric Vehicle Team reflects on their experience and looks ahead to the future.

In early October, 12 members of MIT’s Solar Electric Vehicle Team (SEVT) boarded planes bound for Darwin, Australia — the departure city of the 2011 Veolia World Solar Challenge (WSC). Held every two years, the World Solar Challenge (WSC) attracts solar electric vehicle teams from around the world, many of whom have spent years building, testing and preparing their solar car for the event. Beginning in Darwin, teams raced 1,864 miles south to Adelaide from Oct. 16 through Oct. 22. 

Thirty-six teams competed in this year’s challenge including MIT’s SEVT, captained by MIT senior Alejandro Arambula and Rachel Batzer ’11. Joining them were junior Michael Buchman, Kai Cao ’11, senior George Hansel, Alexander Hayman ’09, junior Alix de Monts, Chris Pentacoff ’06, seniors Lauren Chai and Kelly Ran ’11, junior Adam Delton, sophomore Bruce Arensen, Simon Calcutt ’09, as well as Rachel’s parents, Andy and Annette Batzer.

This year’s challenge was particularly challenging. Their troubles began in the summer, four months prior to the WSC. After three days of successful road testing, including a day at platinum sponsor 3M’s test track and on the highway in Iowa, SEVT’s vehicleChopper del Sol crashed. While the driver was unharmed, Chopper del Sol endured significant lower body damage forcing the team to rebuild their vehicle. A summer originally meant for test-driving and data collection turned into a stressful summer filled with numerous 16-hour workdays in Building N51 on the MIT campus, the workspace for student clubs and teams supported by the Edgerton Center. 

The hard work paid off and Chopper del Sol was up and running in time for the WSC. After filling out extensive paperwork to ensure that their lithium-ion battery pack, considered a "dangerous good," could be flown directly to Darwin, team members readied their bags, printed their boarding passes, and headed down under. Unfortunately their battery pack did not follow. After a flurry of phone calls with the shipping company, the team — with only 38 hours before the race — realized that they had two choices:

1. Charter their own flight;
2. Build their own battery pack.

True to the spirit of MIT engineering, SEVT picked the latter. 

de Monts describes the situation as humbling. SEVT members went to each of the competing teams, asking if they had materials for a back-up pack. The University of Michigan Solar Car Team rose to the occasion, generously donating their extra, unassembled battery pack. The team pulled out their spare battery management system, including extra boards and circuitry from the previous car, and, undaunted, got to work.

To read more about the commitment of the MIT, read the MIT News' full story.

If you don't plan on a solar car race, but are thinking of going solar anyways, call Love Energy today to know more about the solar solutions Love Energy provides for your property or business.