7/14/05 Contact: David M. Granger, 334/844-9999 (grangdm@auburn.edu)

AU SOLAR TEAM TO COMPETE IN WORLD'S LONGEST SOLAR CAR RACE

AUBURN – Auburn University’s Sol of Auburn solar car team will compete in the North American Solar Challenge, the world’s longest solar-powered car race, July 17-27.

Auburn’s entry into the 2,500-mile race from Austin, Texas, to Calgary, Alberta, Canada, will test Sol of Auburn’s ability to journey across six U.S. states and three Canadian provinces using only the power of the sun. AU students designed, built and will race the full-sized solar-electric car, gaining practical, hands-on experience in harnessing the power of the sun.

The AU team is one of 30 from universities across the nation and in Canada competing in the race.

In May’s Formula Sun Grand Prix qualifier at Heartland Park Raceway in Topeka, Kansas, the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering’s entry placed second in stock class, third overall and received the safety award.

AU’s solar car team began in 1988 as a mechanical engineering senior project to build a small, remote-controlled, solar-powered car. It has since become one of the largest undergraduate engineering projects ever undertaken at Auburn.

This year’s car has 759 solar cells and costs an estimated $200,000, including donated materials. Weighing 550 lbs., it is six feet wide and 16 feet long with a maximum speed of 70 mph and a “cruising” speed of up to 45 mph.

To follow the team’s progress during the race and to view photos of the car log on to www.eng.auburn.edu .

Auburn University is a preeminent land-grant and comprehensive research institution with nearly 23,000 students and 6,500 faculty and staff. Ranked among the top 50 public universities nationally, Auburn is Alabama’s largest educational institution, offering more than 230 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs.

(Contributed by Sharla Wright.)

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