U-M Solar Car team earns first place at North American competition despite some unfavorable weather
The University of Michigan Solar Car Team has won the 2012 American Solar Challenge with their car Quantum, making this the fourth consecutive win at the competition for the team according to a press release put out by the university.
The challenge is a 1,650-mile competition for solar powered vehicles, lasting eight days and running a course beginning July 14 in Rochester, N.Y and finishing in St. Paul, Minn. at 2:30 p.m., when the Quantum crossed the finish line.
The final time for the race was just under 45 hours.
Photo from the U-M solar car website
Though the racers did encounter some less than stellar weather along the way, including two "intense" bouts of rain, according to the press release. The team was able to use the weather to their advantage and gain a lead on the other teams who were forced to slow down during the first storm. They did have to pull over a couple of times during the second storm.
"We've tested the car extensively in the rain, and each of our drivers has practiced in the rain, so that really gave us an advantage," said mechanical engineering student and 2012 lead strategist A.J. Trublowksi. "While our overall strategy stayed mostly the same, we definitely had to make some adjustments to adverse weather conditions."
Sponsors for the U-M Solar Car team include IMRA America, Michigan Engineering, Ford and General Motors.
The U-M team has won a total of seven titles since the event had its inaugural challenge in 1990 — which the team also won.
Comments
Steve
Mon, Jul 23, 2012 : 12:28 p.m.
I am especially happy that these students have gotten some "hands on" practical experience. This should be meaningful on their job applications, as "book learning" is great---but book plus hands on is priceless.
Kai Petainen
Mon, Jul 23, 2012 : 2:45 a.m.
This is awesome. Congrats!!!!
shepard145
Mon, Jul 23, 2012 : 12:21 a.m.
Totally meaningless but YEAAAAAAh for UM - another step down the path to know where!!
shepard145
Tue, Jul 24, 2012 : 9:30 p.m.
There is a delicious market for the internet based on demand for it's utility – ask Comcast and Facebook how that's working out. Wonderful Fisker is dieing and Tesla is probably not far behind – they will not survive. Tesla put the first nail in their business by locating in California even though all the best automotive engineering talent, services and consultants are here - duh. Everything you've written proves my point. Why has nobody been prosecuted over the collapse of the mortgage market? The derivatives you complain about were an warped aberration that developed LEGALLY when government – Jimmy Carter, then Barney Frank and Chris Dodd to be exact - decided that owning a home was a right. This is a simple but very time consuming issue to explain but the bottom line is that without Barney Frank and his stooges warping the mortgage market via the Freddies, the crisis would never have happened.
johnls
Tue, Jul 24, 2012 : 2:09 p.m.
*derivative*
johnls
Tue, Jul 24, 2012 : 2:09 p.m.
"As prices rise, the market will find the best, most economical solution." Yes, this is exactly how the internet and every other innovation emerged...only by market forces. "Electric cars, E85 and so called "bio-diesel" – are unnecessary, expensive..." So Tesla is working outside of capitalism? And you are right there will never be even a niche for electric cars. "...a foolish waste of valuable intellectual time and resources" Yes, please send these kids into financial engineering so they can use "market forces" to create the next convoluted deviate product that helps bring the world economy to its knees. Much better use of intellectual resources. If it makes money it is worthwhile.
shepard145
Tue, Jul 24, 2012 : 11:30 a.m.
Sparty supporting a UM project? For shame! Of course your list is apples and bowling balls. The fact that American consumer controlled global weather is a complete FRAUD (and you can't prove otherwise of course) has nothing to do with the other items you've listed. But your reference to it as a belief system for the eco gullible is accurate. What do you think "reduce our dependence on foreign oil" mean (you missed a word)? It's a global commodity so unless you think dear leader obama is planning to seize the US oil industry (for our own good), there is no "foreign dependence" to change. If you think it means that we use less oil and something magic happens if oil consumption falls to gallon # something, you are delusional and I doubt you could complete that line of logic with a straight face.
Sparty
Tue, Jul 24, 2012 : 4:23 a.m.
Some refuse to believe in global warming, the Euro Crisis, the constitutionality of ObamaCare - despite the facts. Just as they will never support Americas efforts to develop alternative, green energy sources to reduce our dependence on Oil (still greatly imported from the middle east). Others say ostrich meat is delicious. ROFL.
shepard145
Mon, Jul 23, 2012 : 10:23 p.m.
You can put solar panels on a pig and it's still a pig. Electric cars are irrelevant because there is plenty of oil - and despite where you hear from "dear leader" obama, global reserves continue to expand with new discoveries. The oil price/supply problems we have are political, not scientific, something an electric car can't solve…..ever. In a few centuries when we do run low on oil, the world will be a different place with better computers, science and engineering. As prices rise, the market will find the best, most economical solution. Electric cars, E85 and so called "bio-diesel" – are unnecessary, expensive and a foolish waste of valuable intellectual time and resources. The U does a lot of great work and research in many other vital areas that have great value – I am not criticizing everyone. In this case, I hate to see kids lead into a dead end just because some eco crazed dufus watched al gore's movie a few dozen too many times.
johnls
Mon, Jul 23, 2012 : 7:52 p.m.
Totally meaningless? I agree that we won't be whizzing around in fully solar powered cars in the near future, but this has more practical application than 90% of the work done at the U. Yeah...I bet cars will never have solar panels on them and electric cars will never be mass-produced...oh wait. Helping solve future transportation and energy needs is meaningless?! Shepard, what are you working on that you consider meaningful?
shepard145
Mon, Jul 23, 2012 : 4:36 p.m.
Nothing about this helps the planet and implying otherwise is silly. If framed as a complex academic engineering problem with no practical value, I suppose it's fine - break out the cheerleaders and have a party.
mathgeek
Mon, Jul 23, 2012 : 2:44 p.m.
So it is meaningless that U of M is at the forefront of technological innovations that help the planet? As a proud alum, I congratulate the solar car team for their efforts to prove once again that we are The Leaders and Best!
umichjim
Sun, Jul 22, 2012 : 8:43 p.m.
University of Michigan Credit Union is proud to be a long-time sponsor of the U of M Solar Car Team, as well. Congratulations to a terrific group of students! Go Blue!
GoNavy
Sun, Jul 22, 2012 : 8:26 p.m.
Congratulations - an effort to be proud of.
Russ Monahan
Sun, Jul 22, 2012 : 8:21 p.m.
As usual, the only race was for second place. Go Blue!
Ross
Sun, Jul 22, 2012 : 7:28 p.m.
Wow, they won by 10 hours! Great job. Go Blue!
Sparty
Sun, Jul 22, 2012 : 6:12 p.m.
Yet another honor for UM .... what will the haters do now after the education provided by the University shows why it is the National GEM that it is ?
say it plain
Sun, Jul 22, 2012 : 6:40 p.m.
Oh gee, come on, you're making me regret my "go blue!" cheer lol... Why can't we applaud the UM's victories, as here, with clear solid greatness of their solar car team who works so hard and smart year after year, and not make it a referendum on the totality of the institution? It's the "all in" or not attitude that gets so many institutions into trouble integrity-wise, vision-wise, imho. A school as big as UM can and will have multiple 'cultures' within it, and they all will depend on the people who lead them and who are drawn to them. Dynamic entities... and it seems that the solar car culture is a great one! Maybe I should have said "Go Blue Solar!" lol...
say it plain
Sun, Jul 22, 2012 : 6:08 p.m.
Yeah, go blue!