University of Michigan solar car will need caravan to drive 3,000 miles cross country
University of Michigan undergraduate students will be driving a solar car 3,000 miles across the country, from New Jersey to California.
The 20 students are part of U-M's Solar Car Team's Race Crew, which will be participating in the Michigan Sun Run, a 12-state, 10-day test of endurance. The team will drive Aevum, the program's 16th solar car.
"I think it’s really cool to see these people that I’ve worked with doing this type of race that is honestly something that you don’t really see other students doing or being able to have the opportunity," said solar car team business and media specialist Liana Lau. "We’re trying to ... inspire other students, whether they’re K through 12 or in college, to show them that it's possible that they can dream big and do amazing things with their lives.”
During the trip, the team will stop in four states — New Jersey, Kansas, New Mexico and California — to speak with the public and fellow students about topics including sustainable technology, youth engagement in STEM, and innovation within solar racing, Lau said.
To ensure a safe ride, there will also be a multitude of vehicles ahead of and behind the solar car.
"We actually have six or seven other vehicles that kind of follow the car. We have what’s called main caravan, so we have a vehicle in front of the solar car, and another vehicle behind the solar car," Lau said.
The ride will have scout vehicles far ahead that pay attention to the road and weather conditions, and a vehicle with a trailer attached for storage and tools in case of emergency.
Students from an array of majors have participated in the engineering team throughout the last 33 years. A new solar-powered vehicle is designed and built every two years by the team to strengthen knowledge and ability of upcoming technology, specifically when it comes to electric vehicles.
The team has been the American Solar Challenge champion nine times, accumulated seven "Bridgestone World Solar Challenge" podium finishes and won the Abu Dhabi International Championship once.
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Aevum, the team's most environmentally sustainable and accessible vehicle, has been dreamed up by over three generations of U-M engineers.
The maize-and-blue exterior of the car represents the university and, while small, Aevum is the team's smartest and most tenacious car yet, the news release said. Aevum is a Latin word that can be defined as the mean between time and eternity.
"That kind of represents how COVID has happened and it’s been a long time since the team has been able to produce a car or race a car, but ... we’re still here, we’re ready to open up a new chapter,” Lau said.
The solar car team will begin their journey on Saturday, and make it to Los Angeles on Aug. 3.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: University of Michigan students to drive solar car 3,000 miles
