5/29/03

Cheryl Cobb, 334/844-2220

AUBURN'S SOLAR CAR QUALIFIES FOR CROSS-COUNTRY SUMMER RACE

'SOL OF AUBURN'

AUBURN -- Auburn University's solar car -- Sol of Auburn -- has qualified for the 2003 American Solar Challenge, a 2,300-mile solar car race that begins July 13 in Chicago and follows historic Route 66.

The race, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, will conclude on July 23 in Claremont, Calif.

Thirty-three university teams from across the world are competing to build and race solar-powered cars. The team with the fastest cumulative time wins the competition. The University of Kentucky is the only other Southeastern Conference-member school entered in the competition.

Auburn's solar car qualified for the race by placing fifth at the May 17 Formula Sun Grand Prix 2003 in Topeka, Kan. The AU solar car team is sponsored by AU's Samuel Ginn College of Engineering.

"Our car is powered only by the energy of the sun," says team captain Chris Trueblood of Huntsville, Ala., a senior in electrical and computer engineering. "Our top speed is 70 miles per hour; cruising speed is 30 to 40 miles per hour."

A team of 25 AU engineering students has spent two years designing and building the solar vehicle, which contains cutting-edge solar and battery technologies.

"The Topeka track was rough and challenged both the drivers and the vehicle," said team member Daniel Pate of Castleberry, Ala., a senior in mechanical engineering. "At the end of the first day our rear suspension failed. It was a major setback because we were 40 laps short of our daily requirement.

"But the team pulled together in a way that amazed me. Before long we were back on the track adding laps. It was a great feeling."

Team advisor, Sushil Bhavnani, a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, said he was pleased with the team's dedication and level of preparation.

"The studentıs response to the adversity we experienced throughout the week-long qualifying event was exemplary," he said.

Trueblood added that the opportunity to interact with team members from other schools was especially valuable.

"It's always interesting to see the different approaches used by the competition," he said. "You learn something new every time you attend these events. Our car performed well, but we've already identified a number of items that we want to tweak before we hit the road for the July race."

may03:AU-solar

CONTACT: AU Solar Car Team