|
This project aimed to tackle one of the main barriers to electric vehicle adoption “range anxiety,” the fear of running out of battery power before reaching a destination, by designing a solar-powered energy-harvesting system. I began by constructing simple model vehicles powered directly by solar panels and batteries, comparing their performance on different road surfaces and under various loads. The battery-powered models performed more efficiently, but the results confirmed that solar power could still drive motion under optimal sunlight.
To improve the efficiency of this approach, I developed a second-generation 3D-printed model that could store solar energy in rechargeable lithium batteries. Over a two week testing period, I observed how different weather conditions affected charging efficiency and motor runtime. Even on cloudy days, the solar system maintained a minimum 25% battery charge, suggesting that stored solar power could serve as a valuable emergency backup in this model system.
In the final project stage, I created an Arduino-based solar tracking mechanism using light-dependent resistors and servo motors. This system enabled the solar panel to follow sunlight throughout the day, increasing overall efficiency of light captured.
My findings demonstrate that intelligent, solar-powered systems could provide a sustainable solution to back-up energy limitations in electric vehicles. If implemented on a larger scale, such systems could reduce reliance on fossil fuels, alleviate range anxiety, and encourage broader adoption of clean transportation technologies.
|