Optimization of rear low-speed crash structures for a Solar Electric Vehicle
S. Potkamp (TU Delft - Aerospace Engineering)
J. Sinke – Mentor (TU Delft - Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies)
Roel Grooten – Graduation committee member (Lightyear)
More Info
expand_more
Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download, forward or distribute the text or part of it, without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license such as Creative Commons.
Abstract
A Solar Electric Vehicle is a vehicle that receives a significant amount of its total energy consumption through sunlight gathered using solar arrays. The main objective of this thesis was to determine how the design of the rear low-speed crash structures should be different for a Solar Electric Vehicle, compared to conventional cars. This is done by creating a general optimization tool that can be used for the conceptual design of the rear low-speed crash structures of passenger cars. Next to the structural performance during three low-speed load cases, the manufacturing cost and intrusion distance are also taken into account. It was found that for a Solar Electric Vehicle the intrusion distance should be reduced in order to increase the size of the solar arrays (and therefore their yield) without damaging them during low-speed rear impact, even though this comes with a weight penalty.