WEEK Weather

69 °F

OVERCAST

WIND : S

6 mph

HUMIDITY : 72 %

October 13, 2008

More Weather

ISU Students Race for the Sun

Tools

By Gina Ford

Story Published: Jul 3, 2008 at 3:53 PM CDT

Story Updated: Jul 3, 2008 at 3:53 PM CDT

A team of I-S-U students will be racing with the sun.
The world's longest solar car race begins in less than two weeks and Team Mercury is gearing up.

The North American Solar Challenge is a 24-hundred mile race from Plano, Texas to Calgary, Alberta.

ISU's Mercury Two solar car cost more than 60 thousand dollars to build.

And the team of students have been working on it nearly one year.

ISU President Dr. Al Bowman says with the changing economy, he is behind the project 100 percent.

"As a country we've got to promote research into sustainable modes of transportation in a world where gas is four dollars a gallon," said Dr. Al Bowman, President of ISU.

This project is the right project at the right time.

Last year the team drove 690 miles under solar power...90 miles per day.

But this year with the new additions and updated materials, they expect to drive over 350 miles a day.

The average speed is about 45 miles per hour with a maximum speed of about 60.

Drivers are obligated to follow the outlined speed limits or they will be penalized at the end of the race.

The journey is expected to last ten days.