Présentation
The project in a nutshell
The project is based on the design and prototyping of a streamlined tricycle. This type of light, human-powered vehicle, supplemented by an electric motor powered by solar panels, is part of the search for efficient mobility in terms of greenhouse gas emissions.
Speed, autonomy, lightness and compactness will all be aimed at setting a record and perhaps, at a later stage, at spreading to a wider public to help solve the problem of transport in urban areas.
Origin of the project
The Solar boost project was originally initiated by Vincent Chapin, professor of aerodynamics at ISAE-SUPAERO. The brief was to to ” think about innovative solutions for individual transport between the car, which is highly polluting and takes up a lot of space, and the bicycle, which is impractical in certain situations (such as shopping, for example), not fast enough and dangerous enough for cyclists “.
At the start of the project, 2 pupils began to take part outside the classroom. They worked mainly on the aerodynamics of the velomobile, as well as on the electronics, and entered into a partnership with Solarcloth in order to obtain solar panels. During the 2019-2020 academic year, the project was offered as a PIC (Innovation and Creativity Project) to a group of 4 first-year engineering students, who then carried out an initial market study. In September 2020, Agustina Gascue, a former member of the group, set up the SolarBoost technical club to take the project further and get more people involved.
Solar Boost Technical Club
The club has three technical departments: electronics, structure and aerodynamics. In addition to these divisions, the club also has a management division and a division specialising in market research, with the help of a number of students from Toulouse Business School.
To improve efficiency, the students involved in the club have decided to concentrate initially on integrating the engine and solar panels into the chassis. This will enable them to have a rolling structure fairly quickly. At the same time, the aerodynamics team is continuing to optimise the hull, which will be integrated in a second phase.
The team hopes to have a working prototype in 2022, with which they will attempt to reach Italy! In the longer term, the students would like to create a university competition similar to the Ecoshell Marathon. The idea would be to put different student prototypes of green vehicles in competition against each other, in line with defined criteria.
At present, the students are continuing their search for funding and partnerships.
Contacts
Are you a company interested in supporting the development of the SOLAR BOOST project?
Agustina GASCUE
agustina.gascue@student.isae-supaero.fr
SOLAR BOOST website
LinkedIn page
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