Centaurus on the road

University of Minnesota's solar car team begins cross-country race

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Along with 25 other vehicles, the U's solar car, Centaurus, started the 2008 North American Solar Challenge on Sunday in Plano, Texas.

Watch a video of a test drive that includes interviews with the student enginners and Jeff Hammer, the faculty team advisor.

Photo by Matt Barkley

July 14, 2008

The University of Minnesota Solar Vehicle Project was one of the first teams to meet all the qualifications for racing in the 2008 North American Solar Challenge, which pits teams against each other in designing and building a solar-powered car and then driving it across the country. On Sunday, the U's car Centaurus hit the road for the 2,400-mile race from Texas to Canada that ends July 22.

Centaurus, named after the constellation, is currently in third place, according to crew chief David Towey on the team's blog.

"Overall, we are satisfied with our current race position... There's still a long way to go to Calgary, and, as we found out in 2005, anything can happen between now and then," he writes. The U's Borealis III ran neck and-and-neck with the University of Michigan's car in the 2005 race, finishing second by about 11 minutes.

The competition began Sunday in Plano, Texas, and will mainly follow U.S. Highway 75 and Canadian Highway 1 to the finish line in Calgary, Alberta. The race includes a stage stop in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on July 17, where there will be a public event from 4-8 p.m. Teams are also required to stop for at least 30 minutes at a checkpoint in Fargo, North Dakota, on July 18 or 19.

The most noticeable difference between Centaurus and the University's previous seven solar vehicles is the way the driver sits. New race requirements call for a driver to sit more upright in the car, making it more comfortable for him or her. It also allows for better road visibility. Centaurus is just over 3 feet tall, about 16 feet long, and nearly 6 feet wide. It weighs about 420 pounds without the driver.

Race with Centaurus

The University of Minnesota's solar car team will be posting updates throughout the race, see Solar Vehicle Project

You can also follow the race on the American Solar Challenge Web site.

"While we won't all soon be driving solar race cars like this one, projects like this are a step in the right direction," says Sam Lenius, a recent U graduate and former team leader. "Much of the technology we [applied] to design and build this car could possibly be used in other cars to make them more fuel efficient and better for the environment. That's something we are all very proud to share."

The 20 students on the team are all from the Institute of Technology, the University of Minnesota's college of engineering, physical sciences, and mathematics. Team members estimate that they've collectively spent more than 30,000 hours over the last year planning and building the solar car. Materials for the U's solar car were funded through cash donations and in-kind donations of parts and materials.

To learn more about the car and watch a video of its unveiling, read Empowered by the sun.