Milestone: the production kick-off
18 - 03 - 2019
After half a year of brainstorming, designing, and making choices, the time has finally come: the construction of the solar car has started! On Friday, March 15, we launched the production of a car that embodies the mission of Solar Team Eindhoven 2019; a car that accelerates the transition to sustainable mobility through the optimal use of solar energy.
Our partners were welcomed at the brand new production location on the Brainport Industries Campus in Eindhoven. Carlo van de Weijer, head of the Strategic Area Mobility, and Ton Backx, professor of Electrical Engineering at the Eindhoven University of Technology, together with team members laid the first layer of carbon fiber for the new car. This kicked off the realization of the design that the team has been working on for over half a year.
The milestone is extra special because it is the first Eindhoven solar car that is produced entirely in Eindhoven. Previous teams had to travel to the north of the country for several months due to lack of facilities nearby. Thanks to the collaboration with the Brainport Industries Campus and SDK Vastgoed, the team stays close to home. The only thing missing was an oven large enough to bake the molds up to five meters long. As a result, Solar Team Eindhoven is no longer just building solar cars, but also ovens.
Mick van der Spoel and Evan Quadvlieg, the project manager and technical acquisition manager of the fourth Solar Team Eindhoven, welcomed those present: “Some of you have been involved in the project since 2012, others are now joining with full confidence in what is yet to come. But what are our future plans?”. The team has set major goals for 2019, which have been shaped by two major factors; the changes to the rules of the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge and the targets set for 2030 in the climate agreement. With the new solar car, we not only want to prolong the world title but above all demonstrate a concept for achieving sustainable mobility.
The goals for 2019 give the team members an enormous amount of motivation. In just four months we turn the design into a solar car that opens up the road towards a future in which life is powered by the Sun. On July 4 we will unveil the solar car and its features.
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