DSM Congratulates Nuon Solar Team

by DSM

The Nuon Solar Team has won the 2013 World Solar Challenge!

Powered entirely by the sun, the Nuna7 vehicle made the 3,000-kilometre trip through Australia from Darwin to Adelaide in less than five days. DSM provided the resins and application technology used to build the solar car, illustrating our commitment to both innovation and sustainability.

Racing on sunlight
Racing 3,000 kilometers across the Australian outback, where temperatures top 50ºC, scant rainfall means the roads are covered in dust and nature is at its most extreme, is not for the faint-hearted. Undaunted, every two years a group of solar powered cars begin the journey between Darwin to Adelaide in the World Solar Challenge, and DSM is the innovation partner of one of the best.

The application of Bright Science
The 2013 race saw 40 teams from 23 countries compete under the scorching Australian sun. Among them was the Nuon Solar Team with their vehicle, Nuna7. As the long-standing innovation partner of the team, consisting of students from Delft University of Technology, DSM applied its bright science in the development and construction of the Nuna7.

During the early stages of development DSM’s Somos® stereolithography materials were used for rapid prototyping. Later on these same materials found their way into several of Nuna7’s important lighting and power system components.

‘Green’ in every sense
Nuna7’s shell was manufactured using our Daron® resins optimized for use with Textreme® carbon fiber, resulting in a stiff, strong, yet lightweight vehicle. It seemed particularly apt to build a solar powered vehicle with Daron® Styrene-free resins systems with their close-to-zero smell and solvent emissions.

Recognized as the environmentally preferred alternative to conventional styrene-based resin systems, using Daron® meant Nuna7 was the greenest Nuna to date, in every sense.

Let battle commence
After months of effort back in Delft, the team relocated to Northern Australia and took to the road in Darwin. From day 1 the prospects looked good, in fact Nuna7 took the competition by storm! Over the course of 5 days of racing Nuna7 lead the field from starting gun to finish line while many succumbed to the rigors of the Outback.

Victory!
In the end it was a two horse race, with the winners of the previous two races, the Tokai Challenger from Japan’s Tokai University pushing Nuna7 for top spot. On this occasion the Nuon Solar Team proved victorious! Naturally DSM is both extremely proud of our involvement

DSM – Bright Science. Brighter Living.™
Royal DSM is a global science-based company active in health, nutrition and materials. By connecting its unique competences in Life Sciences and Materials Sciences DSM is driving economic prosperity, environmental progress and social advances to create sustainable value for all stakeholders.

DSM delivers innovative solutions that nourish, protect and improve performance in global markets such as food and dietary supplements, personal care, feed, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, automotive, paints, electrical and electronics, life protection, alternative energy and bio-based materials. DSM’s 23,500 employees deliver annual net sales of around €9 billion. The company is listed on NYSE Euronext.

DSM Composite Resins is a business unit of DSM headquartered in Schaffhausen Switzerland.  For more information about DSM, please visit www.dsm.com and www.dsmcompositeresins.com.

Media contact:
DSM Composite Resins AG
Thomas Wegman
Marketing Manager
Tel: +31 (6) 8364 2884
Email: thomas.wegman@dsm.com