Like other solar-powered devices, a solar car gets its
power directly from the sun. Solar energy radiates from the sun and is collected by a
solar panel mounted on the vehicle. The solar power can be directed to the motor or may
be stored in a battery, depending on the design of the car. Individual solar cells or
one larger solar panel can be mounted on the vehicle. When sunlight hits the solar
panels, photons (or light particles) push on the electrons inside the panel, and the
electrons are moved from one layer of solar cells to another. The movement between
layers of solar cells creates an electrical current across the metal of the solar cells.
Most solar-power cars use silicon solar
cel
Components
The key component in a
solar car is the photovoltaic array, which converts solar power into electricity. The
electric energy goes directly to the motor when the car is being driven. However, a
battery stores solar power in the form of chemical energy when the motor is turned off.
Power to the motor is managed by motor controllers. An accelerator tells the motor
controllers how fast the motor should rotate. Most solar cars have a small motor
constructed of strong magnets. Japanese solar power cars have designs that include a
natural magnet and an electromagnet inside of the motor, thus converting solar power
into electromagnetic power. It is not necessary to manually shift gears in a
solar-powered car, as the electronic motor handles all transmission automatically, and
power trackers are installed to adjust solar power voltage to the motor's voltage
requirements.
Read
more:
Does a Solar Car Work? | eHow.com
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