DCU students to unveil Ireland’s first solar-powered race car

The race car is gearing up for a public launch on 9 September in DCU.

A team of students from Dublin City University (DCU) has designed and built Ireland’s first solar-powered racing car.

The custom-engineered car, which relies entirely on solar energy and clean battery storage, recently under underwent track validation and high-speed testing at Kildare’s Mondello Park motor racing circuit.

After receiving the green light in a test drive today (27 August), the car is now ready for a public launch on 9 September in DCU.

The “ultra-efficient” single-seater vehicle features a six-metre ‘bullet’ model frame that’s been designed for maximum power conversion and minimal drag, the university said. It is equipped with custom solar array architecture, designed with lightweight composite materials and bespoke telemetry systems.

The entire process – from designing to completing a successful test run – took the DCU Solar Racing team four years, and required intensive research, prototyping and aerodynamic testing.

More than 40 multidisciplinary students, spanning mechanical, electrical, software engineering and business operations, contributed to the project, DCU said.

The Solar Racing team is now gearing up to represent Ireland at the iLumen European Solar Challenge, a 24-hour endurance competition for solar vehicles, set to take place this September at Circuit Zolder in Belgium.

It is the largest race of its kind in Europe, and second largest globally – only behind the 3,000km-long World Solar Challenge in Australia.

The Solar Racing team is sponsored by more than 30 organisations including DCU Innovate; Intel; Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland; tire manufacturing giant Bridgestone (which is also the lead sponsor behind the World Solar Challenge); Fidelity Investments; and Irish space-tech EireComposites.

“Timeless hours over the past four years have resulted in this pinnacle of Irish engineering, thanks to the support of our partners, university and the students behind the project,” said Rian Gill, the team principal and lead engineer at DCU Solar Racing.

Jennifer Bruton, the executive dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Computing added: “This project showcases the practical, future-focused, boundary-pushing talent emerging from DCU.

“Beyond competing in international motorsport, these students are proving that sustainable transport solutions are achievable today through dedication, teamwork, multidisciplinary hands-on application and vision.”

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