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Media Release

October 15 2007

Trev's biggest challenge

Trev, UniSA's two-seater renewable energy vehicleTrev, UniSA’s lovable pint-sized two-seater, renewable energy vehicle, is about to face his biggest test yet – the 2007 Panasonic World Solar Challenge (WSC).

Leaving Darwin on Sunday October 21 as part of the Greenfleet class of energy efficient vehicles, Trev will join his bigger and uglier solar-powered relatives as they make their way to Adelaide along the Stuart Highway.

Senior Research Fellow in the Centre for Industrial and Applied Mathematics at UniSA’s Institute for Sustainable Systems and Technologies, Dr Peter Pudney has been involved in the WSC since 1993 as strategist, solar array designer and race manager for the successful Aurora solar racing team. He leads Trev’s team of seven UniSA mechanical and electrical engineering students.

“Trev is really designed to be used by urban commuters over distances less than 150km,” Dr Pudney said.

“But Trev is taking part in this year’s WSC to see how he performs at speed over long distances, and to demonstrate how an attractive, practical and energy efficient vehicle can also be reliable.”

Under normal operating conditions, when recharged by mains electricity, Trev costs less than $1/100km to run.

Out on the open highway, though, Trev will be recharged by a diesel generator.

“Unlike the other vehicles in the Greenfleet class, which are hybrids or use biodiesel in conventional international combustion engines, Trev is a genuine renewable energy powered vehicle,” Dr Pudney said.

“And while commercial production of Trev might be a way off, we want the world to see that electric vehicles can and do work. In fact, we’re in the process of having Trev registered as a roadworthy vehicle on SA roads.”

Follow Trev’s travels with daily reports here.

Click here for more information about the 2007 Panasonic World Solar Challenge.

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