Solar Vehicle Competition
June 12th 2010 04:49
The North American Solar Challenge is a competition to build and to race solar operated cars across American country. One team, the University of Minnesota, has built it's own this year, as with every other challengers. The University of Minnesota won gold last year of 2009, with University of Kentucky finishing 2nd, while Northwestern 3rd. Minnesota's Centaurus II will compete this year with other teams eager for road blood. This year, it will be a 1,100 mile race from Tulsa, Oklahoma to Chicago, Illinois. These cars, powered only by the sun, will compete in a race of 18 teams. The University of Minnesota had built 8 solar vehicles in the past. They spent over 50,000 hours of planning and building of the car.
Much like college football, the stage for college racing being a sport could be in the future if more colleges have the power to build solar cars like the ones competing. It would be the NASCAR of college or even the Grand Prix. Solar energy is one form of energy not quite apparent in the manufacturing of "green" cars. Fuel efficiency is one thing, but what is the time table when it comes to solar powered cars. Is it too difficult to develop, or are we forgetting something much more valuable. I'm sure I wouldn't want my car to all of a sudden stop working because of a malfunction with a solar panel. Or is there another way to develop this solar car for the production of vehicles. I'm sure this race will prove it. Go Gophers!
Much like college football, the stage for college racing being a sport could be in the future if more colleges have the power to build solar cars like the ones competing. It would be the NASCAR of college or even the Grand Prix. Solar energy is one form of energy not quite apparent in the manufacturing of "green" cars. Fuel efficiency is one thing, but what is the time table when it comes to solar powered cars. Is it too difficult to develop, or are we forgetting something much more valuable. I'm sure I wouldn't want my car to all of a sudden stop working because of a malfunction with a solar panel. Or is there another way to develop this solar car for the production of vehicles. I'm sure this race will prove it. Go Gophers!
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