MIT solar car - the speed of light

MIT Solar Car - solar technology hits the road

Australian Global Green Challenge update (12:55 am EST 10/29):  MIT solar car finished the race in 5th place with a great overall performance    -->Follow race updates on Twitter<--

The MIT solar car team has been working for two years on the their newest solar powered car, Eleanor.  The goal for the new car is to win the World Solar Challenge solar car race in Australia this October 2009.  The car will compete against the arch-rival University of Michigan solar car and numerous well funded corporations for the coveted solar car championship title.

Eleanor - MIT's solar powered car for 2009

MIT's engineers are recognized as some of the top in the world, and the solar car team is a great way to showcase that talent in a real world engineering example.

The car is designed with six square meters of mono crystalline solar cells forming an integrated solar panel that provides enough power, if the sun is shining, to run all day at 55 mph.  If it is cloudy or raining, the car is equipped with enough battery storage to drive from Boston to New York City without any sunlight.

The team is planning to drive the car across country, from Boston to California, before the car is then shipped to Australia for the World Solar Challenge.