2012 UMN solar car unveiling -- Centaurus III

The University of Minnesota Solar Vehicle Project team unveiled a new solar-powered car on Tuesday, June 26, 2012 to the media and donors. This was the first public viewing of the new car in preparation for the 2012 American Solar Challenge which begins in Rochester, NY on July 14 and ends in St. Paul at the Minnesota State Capitol Mall on July 21.

The current car is just over 3 feet tall, about 16 feet long and nearly 6 feet wide. It weighs just under 400 pounds. More than 40 students on the team built all of the components of the car including the suspension, array, shell, battery, and motor. The team estimates that they have collectively spent more than 50,000 hours over the last year planning and building the solar car.

The solar array is comprised of 391 silicon solar cells and is expected to produce 1300 watts of power on a sunny day, about the same as a large hairdryer. The car runs completely on solar power. The solar car will be powered by a student-designed brushless DC electric motor. The University of Minnesota is the only team in the upcoming American Solar Challenge using a student-designed motor.

The team named the car Centaurus III. Centaurus is a constellation in the sky containing Alpha and Proxima Centauri, the closest stars to Earth. This is the third UMN car with the Centaurus name.

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[lisa king]

Now figure a way to capture the energy from Lightening...!

[lisa king]

I don't care what it looks like ....I LOVE IT....THANK YOU! From your kids...!

[Kevin Walker]

The new car looks sick!