Boca Raton students from Florida Atlantic University High School recently returned from a Texas competition, where they showcased their solar-powered car, constructed entirely from scratch. As reported by CBS News Miami, these high school engineers made significant waves, managing to not only compete but also to clinch the gold award for best engineering design, as well as a second-place finish in the race.
The journey for Ava Palazzollo and her classmates spanned a two-year period of designing and assembling their solar-powered vehicle. "When I joined the club it was just a carbon fiber frame that we had to epoxy together ourselves. Then we had to add all the bits and pieces, the motor, the MPPTs (Maximum Power Point Tracking), you know all the good stuff," Palazzollo told CBS News Miami. This car represents the first of its kind in Florida to be built by high school or college students.
At the heart of this car is a system that captures solar energy to power the motor, dazzling its creators every time it starts. "It's amazing to me that high school students could build this entire thing," said Palazzollo in an interview. Despite the success, the students recognized the need for further improvements, particularly in enhancing the car's ability to charge while driving.
Following their return, there's talk to iteratively improve the car's charging capabilities. Palazzollo conjectured that the battery "drains more than we charge it. That's why we had to take frequent breaks during the race to charge up. But maybe next year," she noted to CBS News Miami. With this experience banked, the team is already looking forward to the next round of competitions.
A sentiment of local pride was echoed in a Facebook post by the school, heralding the students' accomplishment and their representation of Miami's innovative spirit.
