All teams are currently preparing their participation at the 24 hours iLumen European Solar Challenge. During the next weeks, each team will be presented on the iESC website. Today we introduce you to the the Solaris Car Team from Izmir, Turkey.
The team
Team Solaris was founded in 2003 at Dokuz Eylul University – Izmir/Turkey. Until 2015,Team Solaris manufactured five solar cars (DesTech Solaris-2015,S7-2013,Smyrna-2010,S2-2006 and Erke-2005) and four electrical cars (DEMobile 1,2, 7 and 35). Team Solaris participated over twenty national or international solar car or EV events with team’s own design and production vehicles in Turkey, Morocco, Australia, Belgium, Austria and Greece. The team achieved some successes like winner of Moroccan Solar Challenge 2014, third place in Turkish Solar Car Challenge, third in Turkish EV Race in 2014. The team contains four subgroups which are electronics, mechanics, sponsorship & corporate affairs and media.
Besides, Team Solaris organizes many activities for driving DeMobil EVs, Solaris solar cars, presentations to high and middle schools and forestation of campus area of Dokuz Eylul University.
Some challenges/competitions and taken positions can be seen in the table below.
| Challenge/Competition | Year of Race | Result | Car(s) |
| Tubitak FormulaG – Izmir Cup | 2006 | 3rd | S1 |
| Tubitak Formula G – ANOK Cup | 2007 | Winner and 2nd Place | S1 and S2 (Solar Cars) |
| Sun Life Solar Car Design Contest | 2008 | 2nd | S2 |
| Tubitak Formula G | 2012 | 4th Place | Smyrna (Solar Car) |
| Moroccan Solar Challenge | 2013 | 2nd Place | S2 (Solar Car) |
| World Solar Challenge | 2013 | 6th Place (Adventure) | S7 (Solar Car) |
| Tubitak Formula G | 2013 | 3rd and 5th Place | S7 and Smyrna (Solar Cars) |
| Tubitak Electromobil | 2014 | 3rd Place | DEMobil 35(Electric Car) |
| Moroccan Solar Challenge | 2014 | Winner | S7 |
| European Solar Challenge | 2014 | 5th Place+2014 ESC Spirit of The Event | Smyrna |
| Bridgestone World Solar Challenge | 2015 | 25th Place (Challenger) | DesTech Solaris |
| Tubitak ElectroMobil | 2015 | 3rd in own designed and manufactured parts competition,
9th in energy performance race |
DEMobil 35 |
| Tubitak ElectroMobil | 2016 | 2nd in own designed and manufactured parts competition
11th in energy performance race |
DEMobil 35 |
The car
The most important information about the DesTech Solaris (S8) car can be found below:
Name of the car: DesTech Solaris (S8)
Dimensions:4.5m*1.80m*1.05m
Year of manufacturer:2015
Weight of Car:199 Kg (with 5kWh batteries)
Battery Type:Lithium ion
Nominal Voltaja of Battery Pack:108 Volt
Solar Cell Type: Mono Silicon
Efficiency of Solar Cells: %21.8
Motor Type: BLDC Hub – team design
Body and Chasiss:Carbon fiber-Monocoque
Tyres:90/80-16’’ Tubeless
Number of Tyres: 4
The challenge
Team Solaris finished on the fifth place during the iLumen European Solar Challenge of 2014. What is the team’s opinion about the Circuit Zolder race track? “According to observations of the team, the Zolder race track has many advantages for solar car challenges. However, there are recommendations from the team for the dates of the challenge which should fit even better in Belgian summer time.”
The iESC is unique in the sense that it is an endurance race of 24 hours.”In Turkey, many people are asking lots of question about solar cars. Some of these questions are: ‘Can we drive solar cars at night?’ or ‘Can we drive these cars without sun?’ During this race, people are going to watch solar cars at night. If teams drive the solar cars during 24 hours, advantages and disadvantages of solar cars are going to be examined clearly by the people. Thus, people will be able to form an opinion about the future of solar cars.”
Will the solar teams be able to beat the Tesla S model? “If the challenge will be based on vehicle efficiency instead of top speed and if the weather is good enough, Team Solaris believes that DesTech Solaris Solar Car will be able to challenge the Tesla S model. The Circuit Zolder race track is a challenging track and the teams which will join the challenge are the best teams of the countries they came. This of course excites us to race and share technical knowledge. Even the tents will be most probably wet and the night in circuit will be cold, the brotherhood which was at high level in 2014 guides us to be there.”
Following the Team Solar members, people should not hesitate to come visit Circuit Zolder during the iESC. “Everybody should come to see the technical levels of electric cars which will be in streets in future, to compare a top level mass production electric car with solar cars, to share technical information,…”
Video of Team Solaris at the World Solar Challenge 2015
Video of Team Solaris at Tubitak ElectroMobil 2015
Leave a Reply