Company Annoucement - iKlwa is a solar powered car that will be participating in the 2014 Sasol Solar Car Challenge. The car is a University of KwaZulu-Natal initiative. The new and improved UKZN solar car 2014 project is an undergraduate final year project led by Miss Kirsty Veale and Dr Clinton Bermont. The team is getting ready to take the show on the road once again with their innovative and modified solar car, which has earned the named iKlwa, which means ‘a short and agile spear’.
The sheer brilliant engineering of the car led to it being named iKlwa because like the spear it pierces through the air with its aerodynamic design and is light, nimble and agile. It represents an innovative and efficient design promoting green energy for the future that is rich in local skill and creativity. The team also includes students from the Durban University of Technology and comprises of students from electronic and computer engineering as well as computer science students, which reflects the multidisciplinary nature of the project. iKlwa will be entered in the Olympia class (4 wheels) of the Sasol Solar Challenge. The challenge is an 8-day race from Pretoria to Cape Town, which commences on 27 September 2014 however the UKZN team will leave on 20 September 2014. The new car has an asymmetrical design, with a highly aerodynamic profile that has a small frontal area to improve the aerodynamic drag. The theoretical drag of the car is very low, which means that lesser energy will be used which enables the car to go faster.
The car is lightweight yet rigid and safe, with fully carbon-composite monocoque chassis. The car will have 6 m2 of silicon solar panels that will be used to harness energy from the sun to power the car. This energy will be stored in 21kg lithium ion batteries. iKlwa conforms to FIA and WSC (World Solar Challenge) regulations, and the team plans to enter the 2015 World Solar Challenge in Australia. The car is a reflection the skill and enthusiasm of UKZN students; it is a demonstration of what brilliant and dedicated students can achieve.