Nuna 13 – car for the World Solar Challenge that can move due to the wind

Students from Delft University of Technology have created a new solar car, the Nuna 13, for racing in Australia. The car’s unique feature is that it can use wind to reduce electricity costs.

The Brunel Solar Team is preparing for the World Solar Challenge, which will take place at the end of August. This year, the rules have become stricter – the permissible volume of batteries has been reduced by a third. To compensate for this restriction, the developers have made the Nuna 13 lighter than the previous model and equipped it with a rotating fin that works like a sail. When a crosswind blows, the fin turns and turns the wind into a tailwind, helping the car move more efficiently and at the same time charge from the sun.

This is especially important because the race will take place in winter, when there is not enough sunlight and the battery has become very small. Despite the difficulties, the team is confident in its abilities and aims for an eighth world championship title. The Nuna 13 is a hybrid of an electric car and a sailboat, designed specifically for the challenging conditions of racing.