- 1997: Solar Eagle III - GM Sunrayce USA: 1st place.
- Now on display at Cal State LA.
Solar Eagle III is the third chapter in Cal State L.A.'s exciting trilogy of solar-powered electric vehicle design projects. Engineered by students under the guidance of faculty and staff, the Solar Eagle III represents the culmination of learning, trial and redesign gleaned from the University's first two solar race cars, the Solar Eagle and the Solar Eagle II.
On Saturday, June 28, 1997, the Solar Eagle III won the prestigious Sunrayce 97, the national intercollegiate solar car race, crossing the Colorado Springs finish line under fittingly sunny skies. Setting a Sunrayce record for average speed of 43.29 mph, Cal State L.A. finished nearly 20 minutes ahead of second-place Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The combined team of Stanford University/UC Berkeley finished third. Texas A&M, whose team used the molds from Cal State L.A.'s Solar Eagle II to build their entry, the MACH V, finished fourth.
Solar Eagle III's first-place finish at Colorado Springs marked the end of ten days of exciting intercollegiate solar car racing. Throughout the competition, Cal State L.A., MIT and Stanford/ UC Berkeley jockeyed in the top three positions. In the end, good design and solid engineering won the race: the beautifully built Solar Eagle III never broke down during the entire 1,230 mile course the only competitor in the Sunrayce to earn this distinction. (The car never even had a flat tire.)
The Solar Eagle III's technical specifications, described below, give the blueprint for a national champion — a world-class, space-age solar vehicle, meticulously refined and built on the successes of its first two solar cars, Solar Eagle and Solar Eagle II.
Technical Specifications
- Weight: 427 pounds (without driver and batteries)
- Length: 19.2 feet
- Width: 6.3 feet
- Height: 3.1 feet
- Rolling Chassis: carbon fiber monocoque structure
- Body and Solar Panel: carbon fiber skin with Nomex honeycomb core Solar Cells: 762 terrestrial grade silicon cells (4.05" x 3.94") by Siemens wired in four parallel strings
- Panel Voltage: 85-volts peak string voltage
- Tire Rolling Resistance: .0045
- Drag Coefficient: .15
- Wheel Base: 104 inches
- Wheels and Tires: wheels have composite centers with aluminum rims; tires are Bridgestone Ecopia
- Brakes and Suspension: front brakes are mechanical hydraulic; regenerative rear brakes. Suspension is double A-arm in the front and swing arm in the rear
- Batteries: 108-volt system with nine 12-volt batteries by U.S. Battery Manufacturing Company; weight-307 lbs
- Motor System: two interchangeable motor systems: 1.) Wheel motor (NGM-SC-M100) and controller (NGM-SC-C100) by New Generation Motor Corporation and 2.) DC Brushleiss motor (BRLS8) and controller (110H) by Solectria Corporation with belt drive
Overall standings for Sunrayce 97
- Cal State L.A.
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Stanford University/UC Berkeley
- Texas A&M University
- Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology University of Michigan
- University of Waterloo, Canada
- University of Missouri-Columbia
- Yale University
- Queen's University, Canada
- University of Minnesota
- Messiah College
- The University- of Western Ontario, Canada
- University of Illinois
- University of Pennsylvania
- Western Michigan University
- University of Missouri-Rolla
- Ohio State University
- University of North Dakota
- Mankato and Winona State Universities
- New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology
- United States Military Academy
- McGill University, Canada
- Kansas State University
- Columbus State Community College
- Iowa State University
- California State University, Long Beach
- Drexel University
- Ecole de Technologie Superieure, Canada
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- Principia College
- South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
- Auburn University
- Purdue University
- University of New Orleans
- George Washington University
| Student | Faculty | Staff |
|---|---|---|
| Rick Aguilera | Richard Roberto, Professor of Mechanical Engineering (chief faculty adviser) |
Mike Obermeyer Chief Electrical Telemetry hardware/software design Power electronic assembly |
| Dane Atol | Stephen F. Felszeghy Professor of Mechanical Engineering |
Dan Roberto Mechanical Engineering Technician |
| Ivan Bejar | Raymond Landis Dean of Engineering and Technology |
Bruce Fischer Technical Support Manager |
| Roland Cerna | Kathy Lex School Fiscal Manager |
|
| Salvador Fallorino | ||
| Kathleen Hansen | ||
| Stanley Palmer | ||
| Ricardo Solares | ||
| Roman Vasquez III (lead driver) |
||
| Mark Van Dalm | ||
| Dylan Wakasa (driver) |
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GM Sunrayce USA
Photo album of the car
Read more about this topic: Cal State LA Solar Car Team
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