Solar car to shine on Owens campus

UM team's award-winning design

The futuristic 500-pound, street-legal car and members of the University of Michigan Solar Car Team will visit Owens Community College Thursday from 3 to 8 p.m. The car will be on display outside the Industrial and Engineering Technologies building.

Rain or shine, Infinium, the vehicle that earned a team of University of Michigan students a third consecutive victory at the American Solar Challenge last year, will be stopping Thursday in Perrysburg Township.

The futuristic 500-pound, street-legal car and members of the UM Solar Car Team will visit Owens Community College from 3 to 8 p.m. The car will be on display outside the Industrial and Engineering Technologies building.

The one-day display will give people the chance to learn about the solar-car program and talk to team members who helped design and build solar-electric vehicles, including some that have reached speeds of 100 mph.

Their current project, Quantum, will compete in the 1,800-mile 2011 World Solar Challenge, which begins Oct. 16 in Darwin, Australia.

Randy Wharton, chairman of design technologies and co-interim dean of the school of technology, said in a news release that UM students have taken energy efficiency to a new level.

"Owens Community College's School of Technology is excited to provide area residents with the opportunity to visit with and hear from the internationally recognized University of Michigan Solar Car Team," he said.

With more than 100 members, the Solar Car Team is the largest student project team on the UM campus.

The team has won six national championships and has placed third in the World Solar Challenge four times.

"Solar technology continues to grow in popularity as more and more people look for ways to become energy efficient." Mr. Wharton said.

A lecture on solar-car technology will begin at 6 p.m. in Room 109 in the Industrial and Engineering Technologies building.

No admission fee will be charged to attend the presentation or view the solar car, officials say.

The University of Michigan Alumni Club of Greater Toledo is donating money to the Solar Car Team project to help them cover the costs for the competition in Australia.

John Satkowski, who is treasurer of the alumni group, said the team is visiting other campuses to raise funds.

"The University of Michigan Club of Greater Toledo is happy to be able to coordinate this event at Owens Community College," said Mr. Satkowski, who is executive vice president of business affairs and chief financial officer at Owens.