Case Study: Tshwane University of Technology optimizes solar car battery performance with Meteomatics weather data

Tshwane University of Technology drives 2,153 km solar race with Meteomatics

The Tshwane University of Technology solar car team required highly accurate and high-resolution weather forecast data to optimize the battery performance and energy management for their solar-powered vehicle, Sunchaser 4, during a long-distance race. To meet this challenge, they utilized forecast data from Meteomatics' Weather API.

Meteomatics provided its weather data, which was easily accessed via a Python connector and integrated into the team's operational decision-making. The solution was a success, as the car completed a 2,153 km journey from South Africa to Namibia over seven days powered solely by the sun, finishing with 99% battery remaining. Even on a challenging day with significant climbing and bad weather, the car still ended the 300 km leg with 65% battery and was fully recharged by solar power before 5 pm.

Tshwane University of Technology