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The SunStang Solar Car Project is a non-profit, student-run mega project at the University of Western Ontario (UWO) that participates in international solar races, most notably the World Solar Challenge and the North American Solar Challenge. The team consists of undergraduate and graduate students from faculties as varied as Engineering, Social Sciences, and the Ivey School of Business. Funding comes from industry sponsors and personal donations, as well as support from UWO. It is the largest budgeted mega-project of the Faculty of Engineering at UWO, close to $300,000 in 2007, including race expenditures. SunStang's directive is to foster a team environment where, through active participation and mentorship, students are able to learn and apply skills useful not only for the construction of a solar vehicle, but also for the benefit of personal and mutual growth and development.
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Team History and Accomplishments
The project was conceived in 1991 as an honors research project and within two years saw its first competition in the 1993 World Solar Challenge. 1994-95 brought forth a new challenge: the Sunrayce95. SunStang designed and built a completely new car to tackle this challenge. The 1996 Canadian Solar Discovery Challenge was not only a first for Canadian solar car racing, but also marked SunStang’s first victory. Encouraged by this success, SunStang set out to create a car for the 1996 World Solar Challenge. The team finished 2nd of the North American teams and 12th over all in the world out of 40 competitors; SunStang's greatest accomplishment to date. In 1997 SunStang was awarded the Spirit Award for the Sunrayce competition. Since then, SunStang has participated in the 2005 and 2007 World Solar Challenges.
SunStang's Participation in Solar Rayces:
SunStang '93
Development of a solar car to enter the World Solar Challenge became a Western Engineering reality as a small group of inspired students took on the challenge as part of a fourth year capstone project. The SunStang Project with the encouragement of Professor John Tarasuk, under the student leadership of Matthew Butson undertook a major task: design and build a solar powered car to compete in the World Solar Challenge 1993, with the event date less than two years away. The team of about one dozen was mainly 3rd and 4th year mechanical engineering students and one or two senior electrical students. The team from early stages had good representation of female students (roughly 30%). Sub-groups were tasked with designing the chassis, drive system, steering, braking and safety systems. The vehicle even had a fibre optic rear view vision camera and an adiabatic air conditioning unit designed to work in the hot & dry Australian outback. Another monumental task of the inaugural team was coordinating the fund-raising effort to pay the expenses of building and shipping the car to the race. The team arranged goods-in-kind for the magnesium tubes of the vehicle frame from local industry. The motor and solar panels were also sponsor donated. The tiny cells were laminated and wired together individually to create an energy array. Team marketing and raising awareness on campus helped collect funds from the student population. One of the main sponsors of the 1993 vehicle was UWO supporter, turned Australian businessman Jack Cowin, the logo can be seen on both side of the SunStang cockpit. Team members enjoyed free Hungry Jack's food during the race in Australia in November of 1993.
SunStang '96
SunStang 96 competed in the World Solar Challenge in Australia, 3000 km odyssey crossing Australia from Darwin to Adelaide.SunStang 96 completed the race in days and finished 12th overall in the world and 2nd amongst North America Teams. This was the best finish for the University of Western Ontario, and still stands to this day ( 2010)
World Solar Challenge 2007
The SunStang team encountered serious challenges at the 2007 WSC. Within 30 minutes from the start line, just at the outskirts of Darwin, the solar vehicle struck a large rock situated on the road at a speed of 65 km/h. The resulting accident cause the vehicle to spin violently into the ditch. The driver was unharmed. Severe damage was inflicted on the rear suspension as the in-wheel electric motor was completely fractured from the chassis. The upper and lower shells of the vehicle body also sustained moderate damage. After receiving help from a nearby cattle rancher in the form of two steel plates, the team was able to sandwich the rear suspension back onto the carbon-foam-core chassis. The SunStang was back on the road within 5 hours. However, continuing concerns over safety of the in-wheel motor precluded completion of the race without SunStang being hauled in a trailer. After the race was called off due to severe weather storms, the team made it to the finish line at Adelaide on October 28, 2007.