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American Solar Challenge 2003 Starts
Ryan Kingsbury writes "The world's longest solar car race kicked off to a sunny start today in Chicago! The American Solar Challenge, which is only held every two years, runs 11 gruelling days along historic Route 66. Race updates can be found at the official site. One big surprise was that last year's winner (University of Michigan) didn't make it through prerace qualifications. This will certainly give some lower budget teams a chance at gold. Details of qualifications can be found here."
It'd be much better if the students pursued smaller, more discrete projects that they could truly get involved with. It's sad that many engineering students end up doing things like PR, fundraisers, etc etc instead of engineering -- and trust me, that is what happens at places like UM. They don't have to be ruined by paperwork 2 years into a bachelors degree. They'll have plenty of time in the real world to trade useful engineering skills for that...
In fact, the team makes a huge effort to reach out to non-engineering students, and we usually have excellent turnout.
The problem I have for this race is that it allows for very little innovation. Storage of energy via flywheels overnight is prohibited, you are limited on how many batteries you can store, what type you can use, and how you use them. You are prohibited to use any solar nighttime charging, star-light or IR charging, or any other innovative way to charge during off time, as your battery box has to be removed at the end of the day and impounded. You are also limited of which type of solar cell you can use. New processes for solar cells have been invented and are in current commercial production that make it much more efficient per sq foot, but you are limited to using old cut-wafer solar cells that have been around for many years. There is one company making contueous ribbon cells (the 'wafer sheet' is drawn from a solid chunk into a ribbon similar like fiber optic glass is drawn into a string from a solid rod) that would be much better suited to the dimension of a car, but you cant use any of that modern technology. This race if more of a contest of who can make the lightest car body and go the furthest on X amps of battery and solar cells, rather than who can make the best solar technology automobile.
The problem is, any time some new technology comes out that improves solar efficiency, every team has to have it or they have no chance. These cars are already ridiculously expensive, and if you let the teams go hog wild, the winner would by decided by their budget rather than talent or effort -- well, more than it is already.