Case Study: Stanford University optimizes solar car aerodynamics with Tecplot 360

Tecplot 360 helps Stanford University students optimize design of solar-powered car to compete in the Australian Outback’s World Solar Challenge

Stanford University's Solar Car Project, a student-run team, faced the challenge of optimizing the aerodynamics of their solar-powered racing vehicle under extremely tight design constraints for the World Solar Challenge. To gain a competitive edge, they needed sophisticated tools to analyze and visualize complex airflow data, turning to vendor Tecplot, Inc. and its product Tecplot 360.

Using Tecplot 360 to visualize CFD analysis data, the Stanford team effectively optimized their car's body design to perform efficiently against both frontal and cross winds. The solution from Tecplot, Inc. helped the students make significant design changes, integrating seamlessly with their other software tools to handle large datasets and produce clear, actionable visuals, ultimately contributing to a more competitive and aerodynamically-efficient vehicle.

Stanford University

Guillermo Gomez

Team Lead