Vision
Founded in 2021, Dalhousie Solar Car Team (DalSol) designs, builds and races a solar-powered electric vehicle. Our 80-member team is comprised of students from Electrical, Computer, Mechanical, Chemical, Environmental, Industrial Engineering and Computer Science who share a passion for climate solutions.
The Formula Sun Grand Prix is an annual closed-track event that attracts student teams from post-secondary institutions across North America. Racing at FSGP has been our dream since day 1 and with hard work, effort and perseverance, our solar car NOVA made its debut this year!
Looking ahead to 2024, we intend to compete in the American Solar Challenge, a bi-annual endurance rally across multiple states in the US. Please check out our Updates tab for details regarding our new project cycle.
To see what our team worked on last year, you can visit our previous project page here.
Story
Over the past 2.5 years, the project has had over 80+ members contribute to our car to date. Everyone brings something to the table, and we believe that the unique backgrounds and talents is what makes DalSol.
Our team is incredibly proud to have represented Atlantic Canada this FSGP in Kansas from June 27th to July 2nd. Even with the smallest race crew there, we achieved 3rd overall in Scrutineering and 4th in the SOV (single-occupant vehicle) class after completing 135 laps, totaling over 543 kilometers, ultimately exceeding our own expectations. We also got awarded “Best New Scrutineering Team”!
However, we could not have done it alone. Sponsors are integral to our success; without support from the community, this achievement would not be possible. Both monetary contributions and in-kind donations, expertise and advice helped us reach significant milestones and makes solar racing all it is worth!
Strategy
Our mission is to produce doers of electric vehicle development and to excite the public about sustainable transportation and promote the practicality of renewable energy.
Solar car team alumni around the world are highly desired by tech companies, manufacturing, consulting, and automotive giants due to sheer exposure and depths of experience they gain from building a solar car and working in a multidisciplinary group with time and financial constraints.
Designing and building a solar car requires a wide range of real-life engineering skills, both technical and non-technical. Since the beginning, the team has evolved as a unique group of its own that allows students to extend their education far beyond traditional classroom learning.
Impact
Our first ever race at FSGP 2023 was a success and showed the competition what Dalhousie students can achieve. Next year, the team’s main goal is to build a new solar array. This allows for greater efficiency to gain a competitive edge to more effectively charge our battery pack. The team also plans to design and build a new set of wheels, make improvements to the brakes, motor, and electrical controls system. Funding will be used to cover materials for these developments and testing of the car. Additionally, race registration for both FSGP and ASC make up a significant portion of project expenses, as well as associated travel expenses and logistics (i.e., accommodations, uniforms, data plans, etc.). We also plan on hosting outreach events and workshops throughout the year to inspire and encourage those that are interested in seeing what we do!
We are counting on your support to help make DalSol’s journey long-lasting so that we can pave the way for students that share the mindset of building solar-powered EVs for a better future. We have gained a whole new set of experiences so far, and we want to make this a reality for generations to come.
Your support will be essential in allowing us to attend and compete in FSGP and ASC 2024 to represent Atlantic Canada’s Solar Electric Vehicle Student Team.
To stay up to date on our work, please follow along on our Instagram and LinkedIn!
All-team meeting is every Wednesday 7pm in the Heavy Prototyping Lab in Emera IDEA Building, Sexton Campus. Sub-team work sessions occur ad-hoc basis throughout the week. Please feel free to come visit our shop and see our work!
If you would like more information about this campaign please reach out to Venna Penney at venna.penney@dal.ca. To mail a cheque please send to the Office of Advancement, 6389 Coburg Road, PO Box 15000, Halifax, NS B3H 2A5.