University of Michigan. Solar Car Team.

Team of University of Michigan students who designed and built a solar-powered automobile, and who raced it in various competitions.

See historical sketch for Solar Car Team (University of Michigan) records.

In November 1987, General Motors won the Australian World Solar Challenge, a two-day solar car race on public roads testing alternative-fuel vehicles, with its vehicle, Sunraycer . In July 1990, rather than building another car, GM sponsored a race of its own, GM Sunrayce USA, in which 32 North American schools drove an eleven-day route from Florida to Michigan. The top three qualifiers were partially supported by GM to compete in the November 1990 World Solar Challenge, a 1,900-mile race through Australia.

The University of Michigan Solar Car Team formed in the spring of 1989 in response to GM's request for participants, and included students of engineering, business, art and journalism. The team's entry, Sunrunner, designed, built and tested in 18 months, took first place in the GM Sunrayce, earning a spot in the World Solar Challenge. The team competed against 36 cars in Australia, including those of Japanese automakers and the faculty of the Swiss Engineering School of Biel. Sunrunner placed third overall and first among American entries.

The Sunrunner team carried out administrative and technical duties. Administrative groups managed finance, logistics and publicity. Technical groups were responsible for body structure (frame, suspension and steering), chassis (driveline: wheels, hubs, tires and brakes), exterior (vehicle shell and solar collection efficiency), interior (cockpit area, instrument panel and driver controls), power electronics (control subsystem, instrumentation, and telemetry), race strategy, and solar cells.

The second-generation Solar Car Team competed against 35 other North American colleges and universities in Sunrayce USA 93, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy. The seven-day race, held in June 1993, covered approximately 1,000 miles from Texas to Minnesota. University of Michigan's new entry, Maize & Blue, finished in first place, securing the team's second national championship and the opportunity to compete again in the World Solar Challenge. The team came in 11th place out of more than 50 teams in Australia, after experiencing difficulties with Maize & Blue's solar array.

This team's structure differed from that of the original team. Students worked in eight project teams: Aerodynamics/Body, Business (Fundraising/Public Relations and Logistics/Finance), Chassis, Computers, Power Electronics, Race Strategy, Solar Cells and Systems/Engineering. Project teams were overseen by the project manager, faculty advisor and executive committee.

Development of Solar Vision began in 1993. It competed in Sunrayce 95, but was forced to withdraw after day four due to a serious accident on the road attributed to advanced technologies employed in Solar Vision's design.

The university continued its tradition of solar car racing with Wolverine, taking sixth place in Sunrayce 97; MaizeBlaze placing 17th in Sunrayce 99 and 9th place in the 1999 World Solar Challenge; M-Pulse, winning the 2001 American Solar Challenge and taking third place in the World Solar Challenge; SpectruM, was not able to compete in the 2003 American Solar Challenge or the World Solar Challenge 2003 due to mechanical problems that occurred during qualifying; Momentum, winning the 2005 North American Solar Challenge and placing third in the World Solar Challenge 2005; Continuum, which will compete in the 2007 World Solar Challenge in Australia. The tenth generation solar car Infinium 2009 was unveiled in June of 2009 and raced in the World Solar Challenge in October of 2009.

For information on the current team and its solar car, see: http://www.engin.umich.edu/solarcar/, available as of April 2009.