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Midnight Sun Solar Race Car Team
Since its creation in 1988, the Midnight Sun Solar Race Car Team has consistently pushed the envelope to produce a long line of highway-capable solar vehicles. As part of its mission, the team has continued to promote the research and development of sustainable energy technologies. Our alumni have gone on to bring their passion and experience developed on the team to make real impacts in their industries. Midnight Sun has become one of the largest student-run projects at the University of Waterloo, bringing students from all faculties together in an effort to design ambitious solar vehicles for a more sustainable tomorrow.
As a student team, Midnight Sun is committed to providing opportunities for students of all academic faculties to work with our team and develop their skills. Members in our engineering groups learn how to use CAD and EDA software, apply these tools in the design of highly integrated mechanical or electrical systems, participate in the manufacturing process by machining parts or soldering PCBs, and work together to build and integrate the final vehicle assembly. Students in our business team develop a wide range of professional skills as they identify and reach out to industry partners, design team graphics, write team publications, and plan public events. Midnight Sun frequently represents the university at tech conventions, student events, elementary/secondary schools, and sponsor-hosted events.
Sustainable energy has been one of the forefront topics of discussion and research for decades. One of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions is road vehicles. Midnight Sun is taking on the challenge of creating sustainable transportation methods that are clean, efficient, and practical. Solar energy is a strong contender in the field of alternative energy sources. Our team has shifted its design goals to address this challenge and is eager to continue pioneering the design of practical solar electric vehicles.
Our Team
Designing and building a solar vehicle is no easy feat. It requires creativity, engineering, organization, and public support. Since its inception, our team almost always been entirely comprised of undergraduate students, from all backgrounds. These students each work in one of Midnight Sun’s three sub-teams: Mechanical, Electrical, and Business. The scope of our project spans most mechanical, electrical, and business aspects of automotive engineering, providing opportunities to students from all faculties to develop their skills and pursue their passions.
One of Midnight Sun’s greatest strengths comes from the University of Waterloo’s cooperative education program, the largest of its kind in the world. Our team members bring a wealth of industry experience to our team as they alternate between school and work terms. We take pride in the growth and development of our members, many of whom have worked at companies including Tesla, Toyota, Microsoft, and Apple. The knowledge and skills gained by our members through their work terms gives Midnight Sun an enormous advantage, allowing us to field one of the most advanced vehicle electronic systems seen in solar cars.
Our diverse business team oversees public relations, finances, social media, and outreach events, all of which are instrumental in the success of our team. As a team that is highly reliant on industry support and sponsorship, the business team maintains and grows our relations with both companies and the public.
The electrical team designs, implements, and tests all of our electrical systems, including the vehicle powertrain, battery, and embedded control systems. Our systems are designed and built in-house, requiring extensive knowledge of PCB design, embedded programming, battery systems, and PV technology.
At the heart of any car is its mechanical construction. To construct a successful solar car, our team must strike a fine balance between weight, aerodynamics, size, and surface area. The mechanical team is responsible for the design and manufacturing of our vehicle’s frame, body, suspension, steering, and braking systems. Our mechanical members use their knowledge and skill to ensure our cars are reliable and safe, which are critical factors to us as a design team.
The Challenge
Our proving grounds consist of three major international competitions: the Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP), American Solar Challenge (ASC), and World Solar Challenge (WSC).
The Formula Sun Grand Prix is an annual challenge consisting of various static and dynamic road tests. It is held at various race tracks in the United States during the summer. The American Solar Challenge is a multi-day, 3000 km endurance rally across North America. The event is held biennially during summer and is open to collegiate level solar car teams from across the world. On years where ASC is held, FSGP acts as the qualifier for the competition. The routes are designed to demonstrate a solar car's endurance and reliability under real-world conditions.
More information about ASC can be found on their website: http://www.americansolarchallenge.org.
The World Solar Challenge is a biennial cross-country endurance race held in Australia. The event is open to solar car teams around the world. The spirit of the competition is one of teamwork and friendly competition, as all teams work to make it to the finish line. The race begins in Darwin at the northern Australian coast and ends in Adelaide.
More information about WSC can be found on their website here: www.worldsolarchallenge.org