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Newest solar-powered vehicle – a $2-million privately financed vehicle

The University of Michigan Solar Car Team will unveil its newest solar-powered vehicle – a $2-million privately financed vehicle – on Saturday, July 14, at 3 p.m. in the Power Center.With a variety of design changes and some of the world’s best solar-cell technology, the Team is looking to compete for the World Solar Cup. The route for the World Solar Challenge runs 1800 miles from Darwin to Adelaide, straight through the outback in Australia.

This year’s car, Continuum, has an impressive legacy. Since General Motors founded and won the first World Solar Challenge in Australia in 1987, U-M has placed 3rd in the World Solar Challenge three times. Since 1990, the Team has won four of the eight North American Solar Challenges, more than any other university. The Team’s goal is to be the first American team since General Motors to place first in the world. This race will begin on October 21st of this year.

The University of Michigan Solar Car Team includes 150 students, making it one of the largest student projects on campus. Team members are enrolled in the College of Engineering, but also the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, the Ross School of Business, the School of Art & Design, and the School of Education. This collaboration allows them to design, build, finance, market, and race one of the best solar cars in the world.

Two types of significant design changes can be seen on Continuum due to a variety of rules changes. One group of changes makes the cars more ergonomically fit for the driver:

Driver must sit with their back at an angle greater than 26 degrees and may longer lie down in the car
Required use of a steering wheel
Driver able to enter and exit the vehicle without assistance
The second includes rule changes that reduce the overall speed of the solar cars:

Changes in driver seating position require changes in the chassis, increasing the frontal area of the solar cars and increasing the aerodynamic drag
Decrease in solar array area from 9 square meters to 6 square meters
For those interested in how these changes have been integrated into the University of Michigan’s 9th generation vehicle, Continuum, the unveiling will be free and open to the public. A reception will follow.

The University of Michigan College of Engineering is ranked among the top engineering schools in the country. Michigan Engineering boasts one of the largest engineering research budgets of any public university, at more than $130 million. Michigan Engineering comprises 11 departments, supports University-wide energy and environmental initiatives, and houses various research centers and programs, including: nanotechnology and integrated microsystems; cellular and molecular biotechnology; and information technology. Michigan Engineering is seeking to raise $110 million for capital building projects and program support in these areas to further research discovery. Michigan Engineering's goal is to advance academic scholarship and market cutting - edge research to improve public health and well-being.

News Inside News:
About The Team-
The University of Michigan Solar Car Team is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit and an entirely student-run organization whose purpose is to design, finance, build, and race a solar-powered vehicle in competitions around North America and the world. We are dedicated to the development of our members as teammates, educators, and leaders, and to the education of our community on the potentials of alternative energy technology.

Students who volunteer for the Solar Car are typically undergraduates, and they come from a wide range of academic disciplines, including majors within the College of Engineering, the Ross School of Business, and the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. Each project operates on a two-year project cycle and sees as many as 200 students participating on the Team. Although nearly all of our team members opt to work on a strictly volunteer basis, participants can receive credit for their work on the Team through the University's Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP).
Operations
The Operations division is responsible for a wide variety of tasks, including team logistics, facilities maintenance, race support, communications, and transportation. From workspace upkeep to finding the most cost-effective shipping method for our vehicle and semi-trailer to keeping the team fed in the Outback, Operations is the division that keeps our entire organization running smoothly.
Business
The Business Team is primarily responsible for raising and managing the team's project budget. For 2005, that budget consisted of approximately $1,800,000 that came from over 350 corporate and individual sponsors.

For 2007, the opportunity for even better cells, coupled with a new vehicle design, have pushed the expected project budget to over $2,400,000. In dealing with the increased fundraising burden, the Business Team has increased its recruiting efforts across campus and within the Ross School of Business.

The Business Team also handles the creation and maintenance of the team's websites, Sponsorship Proposal Packet, the Solar Express (SolEx) team newsletter, Buy-a-Cell program, and our marketing and public relations.
Faculty Sponsors
When Team members have questions regarding the safety or feasibility of a design, or which company might be able to make a specific part, the Solar Car Team turns to the experience and expertise of our faculty sponsors. In many ways, the faculty sponsors act as a "Board of Governors" for our team. advising us in everything we do but never supplanting the team leadership in its autonomy.

Bob Culver

Brian Gilchrist

Release link: http://www.engin.umich.edu/solarcar