Solar Engineering Challenge

How to design a solar car?

Solar Team Eindhoven is a TU/e student team. In this workshop, your class will start working on the designing process of a solar car. They go through the entire designing process: from brainstorming to the competition. They learn what the biggest challenges are while designing the car’s surface. This is done in teams, because together you can accomplish more.

The workshop is divided into several project phases. A short video is recorded for each phase, with some extra tips from the Solar Team.

  1. Brainstorming: generate ideas on which concept the team will elaborate on
  2. Designing: think of designs for the solar car’s surface
  3. Production and test phase: building the solar cars and testing if they work with direct sunlight
  4. Competition: A short race to see which car would work the best. The students will also make a poster presentation to present their ideas to two Solar Team members.

Watch the video here

WORKSHOP

This workshop is for

 4 VWO

Learning goals
  • Domain A2 – Communication 
  • Domain A4 – Study and Job 
  • Domain A5 – Research
  • Domain A6 – Designing

Conditions

 A minimum of 20 students

costs

 Free of charge

Length

  3 class periods, divided into 2 parts (a longer version is possible too)

Required knowledge

 Technical drawing is desirable

Inhoud  

Part 1: 

  • Phase 1 to 3 at school 

Part 2: 

  • Phase 4 at TU/e campus
  • Short presentation about TU/e
  • Poster presentation that the students give for Solar Team members including feedback
  • Short visit of solar car Stella (including a selfie moment for the students!)

WHAT IS REQUIRED OF YOU AS A TEACHER?

The workshop is completely elaborated on in detail, with short instruction videos per phase. You receive construction boxes at school for part 1 (phase 1 to 3). The substantive explanation, created by the Solar Team, is digitally available – thus plug-and-play! During part 1, you as a teacher will be more of a coach. During part 2, at the TU/e campus, the students will receive feedback from Solar Team members. As a teacher, you’re present for support, but there’re also plenty of opportunities to get inspired by your students’ work.

REGISTRATION AND MORE INFORMATION

Do you still have questions? Would you like to register your class? 
Please fill out the form below and we’ll get in touch with you.

  • Registration form

Solar Team Eindhoven presented their newest vehicle in September 2021; Stella Vita. The very first 'Self-sustaining House On Wheels (SHOW)'. So how do you design such a solar car?