Originally published July 26 2005
Three-week race tests solar-powered cars
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
A University of Arizona engineering team is building a solar car to compete against 27 other teams in the three-week 2005 North American Solar Challenge: A race from Austin, Texas to Calgary, Alberta.
Last year, the UA's solar-powered car was all over the road - and the judges almost disqualified the team.
The design is similar to last year's - except it's about 50 pounds lighter at 475 pounds, and it has new lever-steering technology to help its course stay true.
A team of University of Arizona engineering students is putting the finishing touches on Drifter, which will run entirely on solar power - and members hope will run faster than any of the other 27 teams in a race through the middle of the country.
On July 17, the car will embark on a three-week race from Austin, Texas, to Calgary, Alberta, in the 2005 North American Solar Challenge.
On Monday, the core of the 32-member Arizona Solar Racing Team worked at a fast pace to complete an ambitious to-do list - seat belts, roll cage, brake pedals and lines - in a modest garage on the north side of campus.
The students say they've already learned myriad lessons about engineering, design, team building and even basic relationship skills.
And at a time when many Americans are lamenting dependency on foreign oil, there's a good reason to build those lessons around a solar car, said Atlas Trieu, the mechanical-team leader.
Jarod Prosise, the electrical-team leader, explained the reason solar cars aren't likely to drive into the mainstream: "A solar cell is like potato chip," he said.
Drifter is the UA's fourth entry since 1999 in the cross- country racing event that is held every other year.
The UA's first entry, Deadalus, got off to a rocky start in a rain-soaked competition.
The design has been upgraded to include expensive lithium-ion batteries and a full array of high- efficiency solar cells designed for use on satellites.
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