A River Between

Cross posted at MotorGeekBlog.com

Looking for a way to beat the current gas prices? Do you wish you could just harness the power of the sun and have a great drive across the country? Well this year, teams of very innovative college students did just that!

Twenty teams from colleges and universities across North America took part in the 2005 North American Solar Challenge. Competing teams were to design, build, and “rayce” their created solar cars from Austin, Texas to Calgary, Alberta. A ten day race and over 2,300 miles, this is the longest solar car racing event in North America. Normally raycing from 9am to 6pm, students have sometimes traveled distances of 300 miles in one day, and reach highway speeds of 55 MPH, and have been clocked at top speeds reaching 75 MPH.

The goals of the rayce are more to empower younger designers and engineers to refine solar technology and to demonstrate to the public that if solar cars can travel across the country at highway speeds, that there can be many more applications of solar energy across our communities, businesses, and homes.

I have actually seen one of these cars close up in Minneapolis, as it sped by the Wilde Roast Cafe, with lead and follow vans from the University of Minnesota traveling in tandem with the car. An amazing site to see a car that makes zero noise, has no emissions, and is barely two and a half feet tall. And I thought it was the caffeine playing tricks on me! Sadly however, our folks from the University of Minnesota came in a close second at the end of this rayce, after leading for a time.

Thinking of buying a solar car like this one? Good luck! You’ll need a big wallet! While some cars cost about $50,000.00, they have been designed for up to $1Million, and average about $200,000.00. All in the name of science and competition I guess!

The rest of us may never drive a solar car in our lifetime. However, technologies do exist that can enable electric cars to gather energy into batteries charged by solar panels attached to the roof of your garage. Let’s hope that the technology can catch us before gas prices become out of reach for the average driver.

For more information about the 2005 North American Solar Challenge, visit their website at AmericanSolarChallenge.org!