Materials Engineering senior, Matt Goode, from Coggon, Iowa has been leading over 100 students within PrISUm, the solar car team at Iowa State University, in developing the world’s first solar utility vehicle (SUV) named Penumbra. This vehicle will compete in the cruiser class of the 2017 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge to race across the Australian …Continue reading “Project Director and innovative student leader of MSE guides PrISUm to completion of the world’s first solar utility vehicle”
Written by Ian Edwards, Brightergy “Scotty, I’m taking the solar-powered car for a spin.” That’s something you’ve probably never heard on Star Trek. Or anywhere for that matter. A solar-powered car may sound like something straight out of science fiction, but to people familiar with the American Solar Challenge (ASC), it’s actually old news. For over …Continue reading “Could your next car be solar powered?”
With the pedal to the metal, Iowa State’s solar car Phaeton raced more than 153 miles from La Crosse to Minneapolis to arrive and place third at the finish line of the American Solar Challenge. “We started the day with a fairly full battery pack of energy and we tried to drive fast (50 miles …Continue reading “Team PrISUm wins best mechanical design award; places third overall in American Solar Challenge”
Members of Team PrISUm had an unexpected surprise today when they raced across the Iowa border into Wisconsin to the La Crosse stage stop of the American Solar Challenge. Their solar car Phaeton was pulled over by the police. While traveling on a rural highway at about 35 miles per hour in a 55, Iowa …Continue reading “Team PrISUm stopped by police, but still third in American Solar Challenge”
[jwplayer mediaid=”17282″] Team PrISUm raced more than 180 miles today – at speeds reaching up to 50 miles per hour – to arrive in third at the Ames checkpoint of the American Solar Challenge. After much anticipation, Iowa State’s solar car Phaeton and its escorts drove into Iowa State Center parking lots where they were …Continue reading “After a brief stop home, Team PrISUm races to finish the American Solar Challenge”
Team PrISUm lost valuable race time during yesterday’s rain, but they’re planning to make a comeback tomorrow – the fifth day of the American Solar Challenge. “We had a hard time yesterday, but we still held onto third place,” said Rachel Hoke, the team’s treasurer and a junior in electrical engineering, “and we’re slowly working …Continue reading “Heat gives Team PrISUm an edge in the American Solar Challenge”
Today went exactly as Team PrISUm had planned for the second day of the American Solar Challenge. Iowa State’s solar car Phaeton raced more than 180 miles from its overnight stay in Decatur, Texas, and passed Principia College to take third upon arriving at the first stage stop in Norman, Oklahoma. Now Phaeton is closing …Continue reading “Team PrISUm strategizes to take first in the American Solar Challenge”
Hot, sunny weather and a problem free drive gave Iowa State’s solar car Phaeton a strong head start on the first day of the cross-country American Solar Challenge (ASC). Team PrISUm – the Iowa State students who design and build cars that run off the power of the sun – placed fourth at the ASC …Continue reading “Team PrISUm charges through sunny weather, places fourth on first day of American Solar Challenge”
Despite adverse weather conditions and system bugs, Iowa State’s solar racecar Phaeton set a speed record at the Circuit of Americas this past weekend. Team PrISUm – the students who design and build cars that run off the power of the sun – placed fifth at the track race hosted by the Formula Sun Grand …Continue reading “Iowa State’s Team PrISUm sets speed record, qualifies for American Solar Challenge”
Iowa State University’s solar cars inspire imagination and discussion at North Fayette Valley High School in West Union. North Fayette Valley science and I-Tech students met and interacted with college engineering students while asking questions about the solar car program on Monday. During the meeting, PrISUm team member Jeff Christensen, a junior in mechanical engineering, cruised around …Continue reading “Iowa State’s solar cars wow students at North Fayette Valley”
A 2001 mechanical engineering graduate, Ben Nimmergut was always fascinated with airplanes, getting to know them while his father worked as a pilot for United Airlines. But it wasn’t until he devoted his last two years at Iowa State to the solar car team that he took an interest in Boeing. Nimmergut—originally from the suburbs …Continue reading “Ben Nimmergut’s Iowa State adventure comes full circle in his career”
Members of the Order of the Knoll got to talk with students and check out Team PrISUm’s solar car on Friday, October 4, during an ISU Foundation event. The team talked about the potential of solar power as an alternative to non-renewable fuel sources and showed guests the ins and outs of the car.
