Spring Break
OSU's Solar Vehicle Team to compete in national competition
The North American Solar Challenge allows OSU Solar Vehicle Team to try their hand
Candice Ruud
Issue date: 5/13/08 Section: News
The OSU Solar Vehicle Team is gearing up to compete in the 2008 North American Solar Challenge, a 2,200 mile race from Dallas, Texas to Calgary, Alberta which starts on July 13 and will run through July 22.
This race is the longest solar-powered car race in the world and is 500 miles longer than the World Solar Challenge, according to the team's website.
There are more than 20 universities competing in the race, including prestigious schools such as MIT and Stanford, whose solar powered cars cost around $1 million to construct.
By contrast, the underdog OSU's Solar Vehicle Team's car cost about $60,000 to make, all thanks to various sponsors and a significant fundraising effort by the team.
While excited to compete, the members of the team are merely hopeful that they will be able to keep their car, the Rain Dancer, running the duration of the race. The team members admitted that they will be thrilled to make it all the way to Canada without any trouble.
"Our goal is to survive the race," said the team's co-captain Hai Yue Han. "If we survive the race without breaking down and running out of power, we've won in our eyes."
The idea to fundraise for and create a solar-powered car for this race was spawned in 2005, when the team began planning for the project and recruiting members to help put their plan into action.
After three years of intense labor to see their dream realized, the Rain Dancer is currently about 85 percent completed, according to Han.
The solar-powered car runs off of about 1200 watts, which is less energy than is used to power a hair dryer. In other words, these cars run off barely any energy at all, but can go up to 90 miles per hour.
"The biggest challenge is the sun does not provide a lot of power, you get about the same amount of power from the solar panels as you get from a hair dryer," Han said.
Similar to relay events like the Hood to Coast Relay, during the actual race, there are four different drivers who take turns in the Rain Dancer's cockpit and four cars involved in the caravan.
This race is the longest solar-powered car race in the world and is 500 miles longer than the World Solar Challenge, according to the team's website.
There are more than 20 universities competing in the race, including prestigious schools such as MIT and Stanford, whose solar powered cars cost around $1 million to construct.
By contrast, the underdog OSU's Solar Vehicle Team's car cost about $60,000 to make, all thanks to various sponsors and a significant fundraising effort by the team.
While excited to compete, the members of the team are merely hopeful that they will be able to keep their car, the Rain Dancer, running the duration of the race. The team members admitted that they will be thrilled to make it all the way to Canada without any trouble.
"Our goal is to survive the race," said the team's co-captain Hai Yue Han. "If we survive the race without breaking down and running out of power, we've won in our eyes."
The idea to fundraise for and create a solar-powered car for this race was spawned in 2005, when the team began planning for the project and recruiting members to help put their plan into action.
After three years of intense labor to see their dream realized, the Rain Dancer is currently about 85 percent completed, according to Han.
The solar-powered car runs off of about 1200 watts, which is less energy than is used to power a hair dryer. In other words, these cars run off barely any energy at all, but can go up to 90 miles per hour.
"The biggest challenge is the sun does not provide a lot of power, you get about the same amount of power from the solar panels as you get from a hair dryer," Han said.
Similar to relay events like the Hood to Coast Relay, during the actual race, there are four different drivers who take turns in the Rain Dancer's cockpit and four cars involved in the caravan.
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Randy Grainger
posted 5/20/08 @ 1:44 PM PST
Go Beave's! Is there anyway that I can help in this effort?
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