Covestro Adelie solar car makes debut in Leverkusen

Team Sonnenwagen, a group of students from RWTH Aachen University (Germany) and Aachen University of Applied Sciences, recently made a stop at Covestro headquarters in Leverkusen, Germany, to present their new composites-intensive solar car Adelie. Taking part in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge from Oct. 22-29, 2023, reported to be the toughest solar race in the world across the Australian outback, a public presentation of the car’s capabilities and even the team’s sports outfits highlight the use of Covestro’s material solutions.

Covestro has supported the team as its main sponsor for about five years, not only through materials, but also professional exchange. One such example was Team Sonnenwagen’s Covestro Photon solar car presented in 2021.

“I am amazed by the increased efficiency and energy savings achieved with each new car model,” CTO Dr. Thorsten Dreier, says. “The Covestro Adelie shows on a small scale what high-performance plastics can do for a sustainable future on a large scale. We are convinced that they are the key to sustainable mobility. That’s why we are consistently driving forward material innovations and recycling solutions together with our partners in industry and science.”

Over a two-year period, the collaboration of around 50 students on aerodynamics, electrical engineering, driving strategy, chassis, powertrain and structure interlock led to the solar car’s successful development. More than 200,000 hours of calculations were required to optimize the exterior shape, plus 10,000 workshop hours for the body, and many more days for electrical and mechanical components and the development of the driving strategy.

“A lot of work, heart and soul and the concentrated experience from our three predecessor models have gone into the Covestro Adelie,” Clemens Odendahl, head of marketing at Team Sonnenwagen, confesses. “Now we hope to win the Challenger class, in which we are the only German team competing. There, it’s all about performance and maximum energy efficiency.”

Odendahl tells CW that carbon fiber prepreg (mostly sandwich-structured) was used throughout the project, and aramid fiber was used for some important parts for splinter protection. A carbon fiber roll bar was even used in the monocoque design to provide adequate safety for drivers. 

As the result of structural optimizations, the fourth-generation model weighs 16% less than that of its predecessor, the Photon (chassis weight reduction was 20%). In addition to composites, this improvement is thanks to some Covestro materials, such as a battery cover made of high-performance plastic polycarbonate and the construction of the seat shell with thermoplastic polyurethane. Visit the team’s website for additional details on Adelie.

Covestro wishes Team Sonnenwagen every success and victory in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge.