1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
---
title: Aerodynamic Design
in_menu: true
routed_title: Aerodynamic Design
---
h1. Aerodynamic Design of the Vehicle

The MIT Solar Electric Vehicle Team has always excelled at
aerodynamic design throughout its long history on the solar
racing circuit. The majority of the vehicle's drag comes
exclusively from aerodynamic factors, which makes a streamlined
and efficient body crucial for a competitive vehicle.

Starting from early sketches, Eleanor has undergone a rigorous
design process, to eke out every last efficiency. After initial
design, the body was optimized in computational fluid dynamics
software (CFD), and then constructed in-house by team members.
After finishing construction of the vehicle, Eleanor was tested
in a full-size wind tunnel in Michigan, thanks to the generous
support of our sponsors. Finally, Eleanor was put to the test,
undergoing thorough test driving, including participation in a
cross-country road trip, to confirm CFD and wind tunnel data.

Results showed a drag area equal to our previous vehicle, a huge
success considering the rule changes established for the 2009
World Solar Challenge. Although Eleanor had a less-efficient
silicon solar array, she was still able to place extremely well,
finishing second in class and fifth overall, ahead of many
top-tier teams. SEVT looks forward to its next design cycle,
where it hopes to incorporate some new features sure to give it
the edge in competition.

!../images/pictures/eleanor_tunnel.png!

If you are insterested in learning more about the aero design of
the car, please dont hesitate to contact us at
"gosolar@mit.edu":mailto:gosolar@mit.edu