Established in the fall of 2015, UCSD's first Solar Car Team is an entirely student-run project that aims to design, build, test, and race solar powered vehicles. Comprised of over 20 students across a variety of disciplines and areas of study, we have come together to start a Solar Car program at UCSD, located in one of the sunniest cities in the world. 

The Solar Car Project is the first of its kind in that it attracts a large variety of students from various engineering as well as non-engineering backgrounds. Participating in this project gives students the opportunity to gain hands-­on experience with different fields of engineering (mechanical, engineering, aerospace, design) as well as experience in business, operations, and project management. Students in Triton Solar Car can stand out from the crowd by gaining important real-world experience and operating in an environment that prepares them for their careers by getting involved in setting deadlines, budgets, designs, reviews while doing their best to control all the unforeseen variables that may arise. 

 

There are 3 major teams within Triton Solar Car:

Mechanical team: Under the mechanical lead, this team is responsible for designing and building all mechanical aspects of the car such as the chassis, suspension, body and frame. The team uses CAD softwares to design and test their parts and build the entire vehicle from scratch. 

Electrical team: Under the electrical lead, this team designs and implements all electronic aspects of the car such as the solar array, the battery pack, telemetry and controls that make sure the car runs smoothly. Members use simulation software as well as prototyping to test their designs and do everything that is necessary to power the car with solar energy.

Business team: This team works on the financial side of the project by contacting potential sponsors and corporations to make sure that there are enough resources to actually build the car. 

Being a member of Triton Solar Car is more than just being a part of any other club, it allows students to not only create a better future for themselves, but for the world by supporting sustainable, clean energy.

Click here to learn more about our team.