EOLIAN was the first solar car designed and built in Latin America, which participated in the World Solar Challenge (WSC) 2007. The WSC is the leading international solar car competition where the objective is to traverse Australia from north to south, covering just over 3000km using energy solely from the sun. The car was entirely designed and constructed by students of electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and industrial design from the University of Chile, within the facilities of ENAER (National Aeronautical Enterprise) and the laboratories of the University of Chile. The project comprised two phases: the first involved constructing a prototype to demonstrate the team's capability in creating a vehicle with the required specifications and testing it in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. Subsequently, funding was secured from various companies to build EOLIAN1 and compete in Australia in November 2007.

The Project:

The design team, of which I was the captain, played a pivotal role in constructing the car's fiberglass cowling after contributing to the vehicle's design. For my thesis, titled "Diseño del habitáculo del auto solar Eolian," I focused on developing EOLIAN's interior, particularly the car's ventilation system. This system was designed to maintain thermal comfort for the pilot, ensuring a temperature range of 24°C to 26°C, creating a safe driving environment while external temperatures could reach up to 45°C. Additionally, I designed EOLIAN's steering wheel based on ergonomic principles, identifying the necessary controls to be integrated into the wheel and determining the optimal placement distances for these controls. The materials utilized included epoxy of two densities for the handle and carbon fiber for the control panel.