Solar Utility Vehicle (SUV).

Since finishing our second solar car, the basking beastie, We have taken upon the project of making a new Solar-panelled utility vehicle, or the SUV. We have almost finished our prototype, and preliminary tests are going well; we could be finished within the next few months!

If you would like more information and pictures, see below!

The Project

We have been designing, building and testing solar cars for over a decade. During this period over a 1000 students have been involved in this project. We have acquired a wealth of knowledge and now want to apply this experience in building a solar utility vehicle (SUV) for the developing world. One version of this SUV can be seen as a Tuk Tuk replacement producing no dangerous emission and with only 20 moving parts can be easily maintained with only brake discs and tyres needing regular replacement. This off-road car will have extendable solar wings and when it’s not being used for transport as a mobile battery able to power (off grid) a home, small school, surgery, pumping station. In addition the rear of the car will have 6 cubic metres of space this therefore means that the rear of the SUV can be equipped with a range of amenities such as medical, cooking, workshop, sleeping facilities.

Our Technical Ability

We are aware that there are a high number pf premature deaths (28,000 to 36,000) in the United Kingdom alone caused by pollution caused by cars with 33% of nitrous oxides being produced by road transport https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/air-pollution-applying-all-our-health/air-pollution-applying-all-our-health.

The tragic and subsequent court case on the death of Ella Kissi Debrah (2013) from acute respiratory failure of which air pollutants made a material contribution to, highlights the needs for us to not only to ban the sale of new combustion powered cars (2030 UK) but also to ensure for EVs the generation of the electricity is also green.

We wish to replace the Tuk-Tuk (each Tuk-Tuk annually contributes about 2 tonnes of carbon dioxide) and to provide:

Off grid power supply.

Clean solar utility vehicle
Off road
Mobile Battery (22kWh-44kWh)
Extendable solar cells producing 1.8kWh, providing off grid power
Flat pack produced with the upper frame assembly and / or provided onsite
In the assembly of the car in conjunction with an online course (under development) the car can be used as an educational aid.

Project Plan Overview

We are presently in the process of building the Solar Utility Vehicle. This process started in January 2020 and although hampered by the COVID epidemic has made considerable progress.

Our Key dates are:

1) Rolling Chassis 10th April 2023

2) Braked lower frame 28th April 2023

3) Powered Rolling Frame 7th July 2023

4) Solar Cells Installed 29th September 2023

5) Road Trials 10th November 2023

6) Road Licensing (VSO) 15th March 2024

7) Value Engineering of the SUV starting 5th January 2024. .

8) Commercialisation of the Project November 2023 onwards

9) Trip to Kenya August 2024 to test vehicle in an educational environment. 3rd solar car manufactured

3rd solar car manufactured

Each previous car has been tested on the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge 2015 and 2019.

Applying the in house knowledge gained in:

· Frame construction,

· Body design and manufacture

· Suspension, steering and braking

· Solar cells,

· Electric motors

· Battery design and construction

· Charging

We have designed, built and tested the only Road registered solar car in the UK and having a good working relationship with the Department of Transport, DVLA and the DSA.

We have thirty three companies, two universities and the Institute of the Motor Industry (of which we are a recognised centre) advising us at each stage of our construction.

Requirements

We need considerable financial assistance and an industrial partner to turn this working prototype into a viable product to help meet the UN sustainable goals including: