The University of Michigan Solar Car Team is an engineering project team at the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

Ann Arbor Ann Arbor is a city in Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851, making it the List of municipalities in Michigan, fifth-most populous cit ...

that designs, builds, and races some of the world's most advanced solar-electric vehicles. Having won the North American Solar Challenge (NASC) ten times (out of a possible thirteen), the team is regarded as the most successful in North America. Internationally, they placed third in the

World Solar Challenge The World Solar Challenge (WSC), named the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge since 2013, is an international event for solar powered cars. The course is over 3,022 Kilometers (1,878 miles) through the Australian outback, from Darwin in ...

(WSC) six times and placed second in 2017 – the best ever achieved by an American collegiate team. Many of the team's 16 vehicles are on display in museums in the United States and abroad.

Composition and history

Founded in 1989 by Bill Kaliardos, an undergraduate student in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, the University of Michigan Solar Car Team is one of the largest and most successful student projects at the university. The inaugural 1990 team, which formed in 1989, was eventually managed by Susan Fancy, with Professor and Dean Gene Smith serving as the team's Faculty Advisor. Gene Smith was also Advisor for many other U-M Solar Car Teams to follow. The teams have built eleven solar cars and competed in 15 major races. Although it draws heavily on

undergraduate Undergraduate education is education conducted after secondary education and before postgraduate education, usually in a college or university. It typically includes all postsecondary programs up to the level of a bachelor's degree. For example, ...

students from the College of Engineering, students from any

academic discipline An academic discipline or academic field is a subdivision of knowledge that is taught and researched at the college or university level. Disciplines are defined (in part) and recognized by the academic journals in which research is published, a ...

or year of study are allowed to join the team. Students have also come from the College of LS&A, the

Ross School of Business The University of Michigan Ross School of Business (branded as Michigan Ross) is the business school of the University of Michigan, a Public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The school was originally established ...

, and the Stamps School of Art & Design. In 1990, the team's first car, Sunrunner, finished in first place in the inaugural GM Sunrayce USA, and third place overall (first place in Student category) in the 1990 World Solar Challenge in Australia. Core team members of the 1990 team included Susan Fancy, Paula Finnegan, David Noles,

Chetan Maini Chetan Maini (born 3 March 1970) is a co-founder and Vice Chairman at SUN Mobility and an Indian business magnate in the electric car industry. He is best known for building India's first electric car, REVAi, REVA, and as the Founder of Reva Ele ...

(Maini went on to become the founder of Reva which is one of the major electric car companies in India), David Bell, Jef Pavlat, Andy Swiecki, Chris Gregory, and many more. The second generation team built its car, Maize & Blue, and competed in Sunrayce 93 (the predecessor to the North American Solar Challenge) finishing in first place in the national race, and 11th in the

. After 1993's races, all projects have run on a 2-year cycle. During those two years, the team is typically anywhere from 50 to 125 students. The vast majority of these students volunteer their time freely, although in the past a small percentage opt to receive credit via the university's

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program An Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program provides funding and/or credit to undergraduate students who volunteer for faculty-mentored research projects pertaining to all academic disciplines. Participating universities Universities involved ...

(or UROP). A race crew of approximately 20 students is selected to race the vehicle in competition. These students' function is similar to that of a pit crew in professional

auto racing Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport involving the racing of automobiles for competition. In North America, the term is commonly used to describe all forms of automobile sport including non ...

. As of 2024, UM's solar car project has won the North American championship ten times, and had 7 podium finishes at the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge.

Vehicles by year

*1990: ''Sunrunner'' - Driven by Paula Finnegan and David Noles for GM Sunrayce: 1st place;WSC: 3rd place. On permanent display at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn. *1993: '' Maize & Blue'' - Sunrayce USA: 1st place; WSC: 11th place. On permanent display at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. *1995: ''Solar Vision'' - GM Sunrayce: DNF (did not finish). On permanent display at the

Great Lakes Science Center The Great Lakes Science Center is a science museum, museum and educational facility in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. The center's exhibits focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) concepts. Opening in July 1996, the fac ...

in Cleveland. *1997: ''Wolverine'' - GM Sunrayce: 6th place. *1999: ''MaizeBlaze'' - GM Sunrayce: 17th place; WSC: 9th place. *2001: ''M-Pulse'' - ASC: 1st place;WSC: 3rd place. On display at the

Peterson Automotive Museum The Petersen Automotive Museum is an automobile museum located on Wilshire Boulevard along Museum Row in the Miracle Mile neighborhood of Los Angeles. One of the world's largest collections, the Petersen Automotive Museum is a nonprofit organiza ...

in Los Angeles. *2003: ''Spectrum'' - ASC: DNQ (did not qualify) *2005: ''Momentum'' - NASC: 1st place;WSC: 3rd place.On display at the Lemay Automotive Museum in Tacoma, WA. *2007
''Continuum''
- WSC: 7th place in the Challenge class after recovering from a crash on the first day of racing.On display at the

Michigan Science Center The Michigan Science Center (MiSci) is a Smithsonian-affiliate science museum in Detroit, Michigan. The mission of the Michigan Science Center is to inspire curious minds of all ages to discover, explore and appreciate science, technology, engi ...

in Detroit. *2008: ''Continuum'' - NASC: 1st place. *2009: ''Infinium'' - WSC: 3rd place. On display at the University of Michigan – Flint. *2010: ''Infinium'' - ASC: 1st place. *2011: ''Quantum'' - WSC: 3rd place. On display at

Prince Alfred College Prince Alfred College is a private, independent, day school, day and boarding school for boys, located on Dequetteville Terrace, Kent Town, South Australia, Kent Town, near the Adelaide city centre, centre of Adelaide, South Australia. One of th ...

in Adelaide, Australia. *2012: ''Quantum'' - ASC: 1st place. *2013: ''Generation'' - WSC: 9th place. *2014: ''Quantum'' - ASC: 1st place. *2015: ''Quantum'' - Abu Dhabi Solar Challenge: 1st place. *2015: ''Aurum'' - WSC: 4th place. *2016: ''Aurum'' - ASC: 1st place. *2017: ''Novum'' - WSC: 2nd place. (Best ever finish for an American student team) *2018: ''Novum'' - ASC: 2nd place. *2019: ''Electrum'' - BWSC: 3rd place. On display at th
Roush Automotive Collection
in Livonia, MI. *2022: ''Aevum'' - Michigan Sun Run *2023: ''Astrum'' - BWSC: 4th place. *2025: ''Millennium''

Publications

The team has been featured in the following local, national, and international media: *

IEEE Spectrum ''IEEE Spectrum'' is a magazine edited and published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. The first issue of ''IEEE Spectrum'' was published in January 1964 as a successor to ''Electrical Engineering''. In 2010, ''IEEE Spe ...

: "Sun Kings Cross the Outback." G. Zorpette, Feb 2002, pp 40–46. *Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology International *

MSNBC MSNBC is an American cable news channel owned by the NBCUniversal News Group division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. Launched on July 15, 1996, and headquartered at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan, the channel primarily broadcasts r ...

(2005
12

3
*

NHRA The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) is a governing body which sets rules in drag racing and hosts events all over the United States and Canada. With over 40,000 drivers in its rosters, the NHRA claims to be the largest motorsport sanction ...

article (2006)
Grubnic compares kinetics with the U. of Michigan solar car teamCars.comLakeshore Weekly NewsSAE International (April 2010)
*The New York Times *Wire

*Discovery Channel (The Solar Car portion starts at 8:40) *Seeke

External links

UMSolarUMSolar Race BlogNorth American Solar Challenge (NASC)World Solar Challenge (WSC)
{{University of Michigan, studentlife University of Michigan Solar car racing Non-profit organizations based in Michigan Organizations based in Ann Arbor, Michigan 1989 establishments in Michigan University of Michigan student organizations