Solar Car Heads to Competition
Mercury I by the numbers
35,000 Dollars spent in cash and in-kind contributions to build the solar car
2,500 Number of miles to be raced in the North American Solar Challange
700 Weight, in pounds, of Mercury I and driver
40 Top speed in miles per hour of the solar vehicle
1 The power, in kilowatts, produced by its solar panels – enough to power a hair dryer.
On the web
Track Mercury I’s progress at www.solarcar.ilstu.edu or visit the North American Solar Challenge Web site at www.americansolarchallenge.org.
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NORMAL — A team from Illinois State University will put its heart and solar into a race from Texas to Canada later this month.
About 20 students and faculty, most from the ISU physics department, leave today for the starting point in Austin, Texas, where ISU’s Mercury I solar-powered car will be checked by officials of the North American Solar Challenge.
The team will begin the 2,500-mile race July 17 if both the car and its four drivers pass a series of pre-race tests.
Powered by solar cells, Mercury I should average 40 mph and cross the finish line in Calgary, Alberta, 10 days later.
"We have a very good car," said Daniel Holland, one of three faculty advisers, who spoke Thursday at a demonstration on the ISU quadrangle following a pre-race news conference.
The North American Solar Challenge is the longest race of solar- powered vehicles in the world. The event is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy every other year.
Cars in the open class cost $1 million or more to build. ISU is entered in the stock class, where price tags are much more modest. Holland estimated Mercury I cost about $35,000 in cash and in-kind contributions from several ISU sources and corporate sponsors.
Bridgestone/Firestone donated special low-friction tires to allow Mercury I to coast a half-mile even after power is turned off. Interstate Battery donated batteries to store surplus electricity to give added power to go uphill or accelerate or when the sun dips behind clouds. Caterpillar Inc., was the largest private cash contributor, giving $5,000.
The course follows U.S. 75 and the Trans-Canada Highway. Each team is timed at checkpoints along the way.
Vikram Jhaveri, an ISU junior in physics whose idea it was to enter the race, sees more than a ray of hope for victory in the race that most cars don’t complete. In fact, 42 teams pre-registered, but only 28 are expected to be ready to race at all. About a dozen are in the stock class.
"We should finish the race, and in the stock class, if you finish the race, you win the race," said Jhaveri, who is team president.
Most of the cars took two years to build, but ISU’s team accomplished the feat since February after purchasing a solar car from the University of Minnesota for $10,000. The car lacked an engine and needed extensive modifications, which the team made while raising more money. ISU President Al Bowman provided seed money.
ISU administrators already view the project as a success. Gary Olson, dean of ISU’s College of Arts and Sciences, and faculty adviser David Marx said constructing Mercury I has given students a hands-on learning experience and raised awareness of the need to pursue technologies tied to alternative renewable sources of energy.
"I think the practical application we are looking at is that we are demonstrating that a purely electric vehicle is viable," added Brian Clark, a faculty adviser and one of the Mercury I drivers.
Holland said participating in a race with teams from well-known universities like Stanford and MIT also will enhance ISU’s image.
"This is a very good opportunity to show ISU can do this kind of thing also," he said.