Frequently Asked Questions

DescriIt is a solar car that runs 100% off of power generated from solar energy. And no, it's not a boat.

Duodecim is the Latin word for twelve and pays homage to our Texas A&M 12th man roots.

The power comes in from the solar cells and is sent through a wire to the motor. When we drive, we try to operate the car with just this energy. If the solar cells cannot provide enough power (accelerating, fast driving), then we have to get the extra energy from our batteries. If we don't need all of the power the solar cells are producing (braking, sitting at a stoplight), then we charge the batteries. This is all controlled by the car's on-board computers so the driver can focus on driving.

A solar cell produces power by converting sunlight into electricity. When sunlight, which is composed of photons, strikes a solar cell, the photons are either reflected or absorbed. The absorbed photons' energy is transferred to an electron which is contained inside the solar cell. With the new energy, the electron is able to "escape" its original position and become part of the current produced by the solar cell.

There are actually two answers to that question! Duodecim has both a "cruising speed" and a "max speed". Our cruising speed is how fast we can go on a perfectly clear, sunny day and not use more energy than we are getting from the sun. The cruising speed for Duo is roughly 35 mph. We estimate Duo could go about 70 mph in perfect conditions, however due to track limits we have never recorded this speed before.

Brushless motors move because of pulses that the motor controller sends to it. Those pulses produce the loud popping sound that will eventually progress into a hum as the car speeds up.

No. Air conditioning wastes a lot of energy and has no place in our vehicle. Instead, we have well-placed vents that keep the driver cool when moving.