Members of the Solar Car team, from left, Wyles Vance, Nathan Golshan and Andreas Peña-Doll prepare to lift the solar paneled body off of the car.
On Thursday, Aug. 11, the Stanford Solar Car Project officially unveils Xenith, a solar-powered vehicle two years in the making that boasts several industry-leading technological innovations. The team will be competing in the prestigious World Solar Challenge this fall, putting Xenith to the test in a 2,000-mile race across the Australian continent. Tipping the scales at just 375 pounds, Xenith has a 4-inch thin chassis and is made of a unique blend of carbon fiber, titanium and aluminum. A novel three-wheel steering system was also developed; the driver controls the front wheel while a computer steers the two back wheels. The result is a spaceship-like vehicle that creates less aerodynamic drag than a rider on a bicycle - not bad for a racecar that can cruise continuously at over 55 miles per hour fueled only by the sun. Xenith runs on the most efficient motor in history, says mechanical team leader Paul Karplus, a mechanical engineering major.
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