On the structural behaviour of a CFRP safety cage in a solar powered electric vehicle

The use of composite structures represents a consolidated design strategy for solar race vehicles where weight savings can be immediately transformed into energy efficiency and, essentially, into better race performance. At the same time, no design assumption can sacrifice safety. This article describes the redesign of an existing solar prototype aimed at improving overall vehicle performance in terms of weight reduction and safety through replacement of titanium alloy with a CFRP carbon fiber reinforced laminate and sandwich structure as the main element of the vehicle safety system. Through appropriate optimization of materials, lay-up and sandwich structures it was possible to improve car safety while significantly reducing its weight.