A low-swung vehicle, sleek and silent, slipped into Iola Wednesday evening, a sight that caused a good many heads to turn.
The University of Michigan’s solar car, leading the biennial American Solar Challenge race from Austin, Texas, to Minneapolis, Minn., stopped here for the night, bringing with it an entourage of 19 students and a handful of sponsors.
Students took advantage of an air-conditioned First Church of the Nazarene, 1235 N. Walnut, as well as the church’s kitchen.
“When we knew about where we were going to spend the night, we looked for a place,” said Arnold Kadiu, one of the students. “We called and were invited to use the church.”
The team parked their car outside the Allen County Critical Response Center, 410 N. State, to take advantage of its open parking lot to catch the western sun to fuel the car’s roof top solar panels. Water was sprayed on the panels during the recharging process to keep them from becoming too hot, said Ryder Liu, another student team member.
Solar cars of various descriptions built by students at 20 colleges and universities began the race on Monday from Austin. By Wednesday evening eight remained in competition.
“We expect to finish next Monday,” said Chuck Hutchins, a sponsor who professes to be the team’s head cheerleader and a loyal Michigan alum.
Each day the team starts out with a fully charged battery with its goal of expending all stored energy by day’s end. Races start at 9 a.m. and end at 6 p.m., with an hour-long break along the way.
solar car racing had its genesis in Australia, when, in 1982, Hans Tholstrup drove a solar-powered car from east to west across the vast country. Five years later, the first World Solar Challenge was held there, starting on the north coast, trailing through the Outback and ending 1,900 miles later on the southern edge.
The first American Solar Challenge was in 1990 with General Motors offering $10,000 and a van to any university building and entering a car.
Of the past 11 races, Michigan has won seven and its team has every intention of making it eight, said Kadiu.
The team has had one glitch, when its motor went on the fritz.
“I was in a chase vehicle when it happened,” said Hutchins, recalling that team members reacted with amazing speed and determination and had the car back on the road and in the race in “a very short time.”
“The kids learn to do repairs very quickly,” he added. “You’d be surprised how quickly they can change a tire.”
Iola pit stop in solar car race
