Development of an Experimental Vehicle with Hybrid Energy System

Abstract

The first solar car competition in Latin America, in «The Solar Road» category, across the AtacamaDesert, Chile (2011) gave origin to an interdisciplinary project to encourage the use of sustainableenergy applied to the urban transport, without the use of fossil fuels damaging to the environment. Itaimed to develop a vehicle with minimum energy consumption for its transport, lightweight, stable,low-cost, and zero emission based on the combination of photovoltaic solar energy and electricpower obtained from a generator driven by human traction both stored in a battery. In this paper, theinherent aspects of the project and execution stages of an experimental hybrid vehicle, called PampaSolar, are presented. This includes the conception and sizing of the resistant structure, adoption ofthe solar cells configuration, battery sizing and choice, three-phase generator and electronicinstrumentation development, according to the basis of the competition and related loads. The analysisof the results of electric, electronic, mechanical, and vehicle energy systems during competitiondemonstrated a reliable performance, getting the award for the most efficient use of solar energy.