Aztec

Project Information:

Team Captain: Peter Rexer/Goro Tamai
Faculty Advisor: Kathleen Allen
Cost: $26,000 ($11,500 in fixed expenses, $14,500 in parts)
Project Time: 4 years (1.5 years construction time)
Sponsors: Nissan, 3M, Spire, Intel, PPG, BGF, LCS Controls, Walnut Hill Autobody, Alcan, Composite Engineering, Vicor, International Rectifier
More Pictures: Click here for more pictures of Aztec

Races:

1992 American Tour de Sol: Second place: Tour de Sol commuter
1993 American Tour de Sol: First place: Tour de Sol commuter
1994 American Tour de Sol: First place: Tour de Sol commuter
Here is some more information on Aztec's race record

Road Trip!: In August 1993, Aztec took a road trip to Syracuse, NY via Argyle, NY.

Media and Displays:

Jr. Solar Sprint	May 1996
The Discovery Channel"The Popular Mechanics Show"	Fall 1995
Northeast Sustainable Energy Association Symposium	October 1994
Popular Science, "What's New"	September 1994
Dexter Middle School (Dominica Plain, MA) "Designing and Building Solar Cars"	May 1994
Acton Middle School (Wayland, MA)	April 1994
Rockport Middle School (Rockport, MA)	April 1994
Fox Kids' Club	Spring 1994
Johns Hopkins University/MIT CTY Environment Days "Photovoltaic and Solar Cars"	October 1993
WTVH Syracuse	August 1993
MIT Second Summer Program "Passive Solar Cell Cooling for Aztec"	January 1993
PBS: "How Things Work"	Winter 1992
Johns Hopkins University/MIT CTY Environment Days "The Bernoulli Equation and Vehicle Efficiency"	October 1992
MIT/Wellesley Upward Bound "Solar Cells and Cars"	September 1992
The MIT Report: Research Opportunity	September 1992
MIT/Wellesley Upward Bound "The Bernoulli Equation"	June 1992
MIT/Wellesley Talent Search (grades 8 and 9) "Aerodynamics"	June 1992
Boston Museum of Transportation	Spring 1992

Specifications:

Weight total: 780 lbs body: 45 lbs frame: 60 lbs
Batteries 9 Sears Die-Hard amp-hrs: 63@25 Amp discharge voltage: 108 V power: 6.7 kW-hr
Motor DC brushless w/ two windings make: Solectria horsepower: 11 hp continuous max torque: 23.5 ft-lb redline: 6700 rpm
Motor Controller: Solectria
Solar Cells efficiency: 12% power: 200 Watts
Max Power Point Tracker: Solectria
Dimensions length: 170" width: 60" height: 54" wheelbase: 76" track: 51"
Number of wheels: 3
Suspension Front: double-wishbone suspension coil-over shock Rear: single trailing arm, mono-shock
Steering rack and pinion turning radius: 17'
Front Wheels rims: machined magnesium 20" pressure: 60 PSI
Rear Wheels rim: 71 spoked Araya Al 26" pressure: 70 PSI
Body carbon fiber and honeycomb core Cd: 0.12 (appx 1/3 of average car)
Transmission chain & sprocket two motor windings
Top speed: 55 mph
Distance per charge: 135 miles, city driving

Energy Consumption Rate

Aztec -- 0.045kW-hrs/mile=22miles/kW-hr=750miles/gal
Gasoline powered automobile -- 1.18kW-hrs/mi=0.85mi/kW-hr=30mi/gal