Design and Simulation of Solar Powered Electric Cart for University Campus

In light of the ongoing global challenges posed by climate change, the imperative to shift towards sustainable energy sources has become more pronounced. Renewable energy options like solar and wind power offer a cleaner and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional fossil fuels. Additionally, the widespread integration of electric vehicles (EVs) has the potential to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, simultaneously enhancing air quality. The solar energy can be used to power up the electric vehicles. The basic principle of a solar based electric vehicle is to charge a battery using solar energy and use the stored energy in the battery to drive the motor, propelling the vehicle forward. The Photo Voltaic (PV) module may be connected either in parallel or in series, and the charge controllers along with batteries are used to provide the supply to electro-mechanical machine. In this simulation, a solar-powered electric cart is designed and simulated using the MATLAB Simulink platform. The cart is designed to carry a load of up to 600 kg, including both the vehicle’s weight and the payload. It can travel at a speed of 25 km/h. The cart is powered by a Li-ion battery, which provides 12 kW of power to a BLDC motor rated at 4000W. A 660W solar array, mounted on the roof, ensures a steady recharging process for the lithium-ion batteries.