Motolite sponsors RP solar car project

Motolite, the industry leader in automotive battery products in the Philippines, is one of the co-sponsors of Sinag the first-ever Filipino-made solar-powered car. Being developed by a team of scientists and engineering students from the De La Salle University (DLSU), Sinag will be the official Philippine entry to the Panasonic World Solar Challenge, the world’s largest solar race, to be held Oct. 21-28 in Australia.

The one-seater Sinag will be powered by Philippine-manufactured solar cells, which are graded among the most efficient in the world. Photovoltaic cells made of carbon fiber and Nomex (aramid fiber) will make the car as light as 150-kg., to allow it to achieve faster speeds. It will compete against entries from 20 other countries in a 3,021-kilometer race across the Australian continent, from Darwin in the Northern Territory to Adelaide, capital of South Australia.

Now on its 20th year, the World Solar Challenge is the ultimate quest in sustainable energy, which aims to promote and celebrate educational and technical excellence, and draw attention to the imperatives of sustainable transport.

According to Prof. Rene Fernandez of the DLSU mechanical engineering department and head of the technical team, the basic design for Sinag’s monocoque shell will integrate solar cells on its upper surface. “We already have the materials and equipment ready and hopefully, we will finish before the October race,” Fernandez said.

Ernest Estrera  of Motolite said his company “is actively involved in protecting the environment and has been at the forefront of community-based recycling and health campaigns. We are honored to be part of the Sinag project, not only because it supports the search for clean, renewable sources of energy but also because it showcases Filipino talent and ingenuity.”

Motolite is produced by Ramcar, an all-Filipino conglomerate that is at par with the world’s best in battery manufacturing, sales and distribution, machine building and engineering solutions, business enterprise solutions, and recycling and environmental protection.

Other Sinag sponsors are Ford Group Philippines, ePLDT Ventus, Philippine Airlines, San Miguel Corp., Shell, and SunPower.