Who Cares about Solar Cars?

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Who Cares about Solar Cars?

This is a common question that will be in the minds of the thousands witnessing the grueling 1400 mile race across the country, known as the 2012 American Solar Challenge. The answer is actually rather easy to answer, as described below.

With teams coming from all over the US (See Map) and with the demand for fuel efficient transportation higher than ever, we at SolarcarLive expect this year’s 2012 American Solar Challenge to be more relevant to the everyday consumer than any prior year.

These vehicles are not science projects, but rather state of the art electric vehicles. The same technologies that have been used by solar cars for the past two decades are now entering the mainstream market in vehicles like the Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf, Ford Focus Electric, Tesla Model S and Toyota Prius.

Shared technologies include advanced aerodynamic designs, lightweight composite materials, ultra efficient electric motors, smart energy management systems, vehicle to vehicle communication systems, and lithium ion batteries.
In fact, a recent article, titled “Automakers look to UM’s champion solar car team for innovations, green ideas”, Ford Motor Company’s Executive Vice President, Mark Fields, specifically highlight the technology sharing that occurs between solar car teams and the automotive industry.

To top it off, the top minds in the country are building these fascinating vehicles. Engineering, Business, and Liberal Arts Majors from some of the top Universities in the World including, MIT, University of Michigan, University of California, and Georgia Tech will all be competing for the coveted Wilson Cup.
Stay tuned for further race coverage here at SolarcarLive.

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