Latest News

Checkout the latest from the WSC 09

Unfortunaley our only team member to make it this race  Rob Glassey is our man on the spot and reporting interesting happenings and photos , check out his blog  http://solarfern.blogspot.com/ Hidden Valley Raceway

ecofest_logo: ecofest_logo

 
photos coming soon ! 

Thanks Toyota.

The new Solar Fern website is currently under construction .For the old site plese visit http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/robglassey/solar/index.html

after much worrying that the battery pack wouldn't get here in time after the factory had to re-make our batteries for quality control reasons ,they arrived :-) !! , and work is steaming ahead to get the interconnections done. 

Our wind tunnel tested, ultra low drag bodyshell will have 6 times less drag than the open framework without the body shell, and 10 times less drag than a typical small car, yet our powerfull electric motor has still pushed the car to an impressive 72 kph in testing.

With the bodyshell fitted, the same power will push the Solar Fern to over 120 kph, or climb the steepest hill in the race at a steady 70 kph.

And this is only limited by the cheap lead batteries we are using in testing. Our new Lithium batteries will easilly double the power and save 90kg of weight - but we need your support to get them!

[Batteries are required in solar cars to climb hills and keep going when the sun is not strong. - We charge them from the solar panels whenever we stop or when the sun is strong.]

Jeanette Fitzsimons, co-leader of the NZ Greens Party, visited Solar Fern in April as part of the Green Party's Climate Defence Tour. The Green Party Co-leaders have been touring the country during April and June urging people to push the Government on climate change.

Financial pressures have meant that work on the car has been more labour intensive than we had planned, as we are having to do everything the hard way to save money. Unfortunately this has meant that the car will not be ready for a tour in July, and we need to focus on finishing the car for the race. Even small donations will make a big difference when it comes to getting the job done on time. Join our supporters club and help us get there!

The tour will now take place after the World Solar Challenge, in early 2008. Date yet to be determined.

Solar Fern Racing is delighted to announce the support of High Modulus, Adhesive Technologies and Synthepol as official suppliers of composite materials and resins. This allows us to complete our sleek aerodynamic body shell. The body shell fits around our space frame chassis, reducing aerodynamics drag to one tenth of the drag of a normal road car, while providing the greatest area for our solar panels that is allowed under the race regulations.

The "plug" for the main body shell is now completed, and we are ready to make the mould for the final carbon fibre body shell. The plug is a solid block of foam and fibreglass, carefully shaped and polished to represent the final shape of the car. To make the final body shell we must first make a mould from the plug, then carefully lay the carbon fibre and lightweight nomex cores into the mould to get the lightest and strongest possible shell. This plug is for the sides and underside of the car, which has the most complex shapes. The top of the car is much simpler, and will be a simple framework that the solar panels are attached to. We also need smaller moulds for the wheel spats and canopy.

Our biggest challenge now is to raise the money for our solar panels! Many teams have raised this money from donations from the general public and small businesses. We are already receiving a stream of support from the public, but we need more to reach our target in time for our tour of NZ in July, only 4 months away!

Supporter packages are available from only $100, and include team caps or T-shirts, and a certificate & poster for your wall. You get you name on the car, and family and business options are available to get everyone's name or logos on the car.

We need at least 1,000 names on the car. Your family or office could add 3, 4, or up to 10 names in one go! 1,000 names doesn't seem so hard when it's done like that!

Support Solar Fern and help us show the world what Kiwi's can do!