Deakin students revved up for solar car challenge

DEAKIN University engineering students are charged up about putting their solar-powered car to the test in this year’s Bridgestone World Solar Challenge (BWSC).

Deakin’s 20-member race crew and their vehicle ASCEND will be the only Victorian team competing in the event, which is a design competition to discover the world’s most efficient electric car.

The challenge includes a race stretching 3,000km from Darwin to Adelaide and involves teams of tertiary and secondary students across various classes.

Entering in the Cruiser class, the Deakin students needed to not only design a vehicle they would like to drive daily but one that was also as sustainable as possible in design and construction.

The body of ASCEND has been 3D printed, eliminating the need for wasteful moulds, and the doors and stringer are made of basalt fibre for strength and stability.

Cruiser vehicles will be judged on criteria including payload, energy consumption and a subjective element of “practicality”.

Deakin School of Engineering lecturer Matt Jennings, who is based at the university’s Waurn Ponds campus, is managing the ASCEND solar car team.

“The project provides the opportunity for students to experience the whole value chain of engineering from identifying the design objectives to delivering a system to a high standard, and all the work and thought required along that journey,” he said.

Principal sponsor of the vehicle ACCIONA Energía – ASCEND is an acronym for ACCIONA Solar Car Engineered by Deakin – has partnered with Deakin to demonstrate to Australians how far renewable energy has come.

“We’re incredibly proud of the work by students from Deakin,” ACCIONA Energía managing director Brett Wickham said.

“This partnership has been a great opportunity for students to apply their lessons to the real world and we hope it will encourage more students to consider careers in renewable energy.”

The ASCEND team headed to Adelaide to celebrate the challenge’s official launch on June 5, timed to coincide with World Environment Day.

They are competing alongside 43 student-led teams from 23 countries, as well as industry partners and entrepreneurs.

BWSC event director Chris Selwood said this year’s challenge would deliver one of the most geographically and culturally diverse fields in the event’s history.

“Included in that field is the exciting new team ASCEND from Deakin University, the first Victorian team to compete in a decade.”

“They will join 10 other teams in the Cruiser Class, designing solar electric vehicles to bring the green to the mainstream.”

Head of Deakin’s School of Engineering Professor Ben Horan said it has been inspiring to see the students and car progressing alongside each other.

“Engineering Innovation in regional Victoria has long been a part of the fabric of Deakin University, and we are extremely proud to have partnered with ACCIONA Energy to bring the ASCEND team to the 2023 Bridgestone World Solar Car Challenge. We are humbled to be representing Victoria as the only Victorian team participating this year.