The Third Degree Burner is based on the shell of our previous vehicle, the Afterburner II. The chassis, suspension, drive train, electrical systems, and telemetry have all been completely rebuilt to accomidate the new SunRayce rule requiring 4 wheels (the Afterburner II has 3 wheels). The only components remaining from the Afterburner II are the front fairings (aerodynamic wheel guards) and the top portion of the shell.
While much has been rebuilt, the design (with the exception of the 4th wheel) looks extremely similar to the Afterburner II's. The chassis is a carbon-honeycomb box structure. The suspension combines Risse Racing Technology shocks with custom-designed aluminum members. The aerodynamic shell is molded from kevlar and epoxy, in order to be light and rigid while providing a safe, energy-absorbent structure around the driver. The solar cells are made by ASE America and are 14.5 % efficient. They are split up into modules of 4x7 cells on average, each module being entirely sealed inside a rigid resin and glass matrix.
The electrical system combines New Generation Motor Corp's hub motor with GB Battery's Nickel-Metal-Hydride cells, along with the solar array and some accessories (turn signals, horn, telemetry, etc.). The entire combination is extremely efficient, enabling the car to drive 45 mi/hr on the power of a single hair dryer.
