Wind-Powered Vehicle Ready to Race in the Netherlands

Students of the Team InVentus at Stuttgart University constructed a vehicle, the Ventomobile, that is solely powered by wind energy.

The Ventomobile uses only the wind to transport its occupants from home to work or wherever they may be going. The wind powered vehicle was designed by students of the Team InVentus at Stuttgart University. The first wind tunnel testing produced very promising results. The three-wheeler features a two-bladed rotor on top and has a two meter diameter. The first wind tunnel results were promising and the vehicle’s efficiency proved to be extremely good. On August, 23rd the InVentus Ventomobile will compete in the Aeolus Race in Den Helder (Netherlands) on a three kilometre track with five teams from different universities and research institutes from all over Europe. This is the first run of RACING AEOLUS©, an unique event that is unique and the teams are challenged to sail straight into the wind, solely driven by the power of wind. InVentus was created by students of Aerospace Engineering in cooperation with the Endowed Chair of Wind Energy. “The Ventomobile is another proof of what can be done with renewable energies”, explains Prof Martin Kühn, Endowed Chair of Wind Energy at Stuttgart University.