A car that runs without a single drop of fuel may be only a thing of the future to most people, but for Auburn University's student solar car team, the future has become reality.
AU's solar car team, the Sol of Auburn, recently competed in a cross-country competition, placing third in the design category and receiving the award for the most cost-effective design.
The team placed sixth in the Sunrayce '97 qualifier in March before going on to win two awards at the final race.
Sushil Bhavnani, the project director and a faculty member in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, says the car's practical and attractive appearance was one of the distinguishing features that helped win the design award.
"Nothing seemed out of place, like an afterthought," he said. "It all fit well together."
Numerous pages of criteria had to be met in order to compete in the race. Things such as structural stability, braking, handling, steering, appearance and the layout of the driver's cockpit were just a few of the criteria used to judge the cars.
Auburn students competed against 43 other teams to win the design award, the first award ever received by Auburn in a Sunrayce event.
The team won the award despite damage to the car caused by a thunderstorm. On the third day of competition, a lightning thunderstorm occurred while the vehicle was in the custody of race officials. A tent collapsed, damaging the car. The Sol of Auburn was the only car damaged by the storm, but the team managed to correct the damage in time to complete the competition.
Fund-raising was also a major challenge for the team, said Bhavnani, but the challenge may have led to their second award for the most cost-effective design. While many of the competitors raised up to $200,000 to build their cars, Auburn's team built the Sol of Auburn with only $20,000.
The Sol of Auburn is the first and only registered solar vehicle in Alabama.