Solar Vehicle Team charging ahead

Samveg Saxena, president of the UOIT/Durham College Solar Vehicle Team shows off a solar vehicle prototype during a vehicle progress update and tour on Tuesday morning.

Staff from the Advancement, Registrars and Communications and Marketing offices and the Innovation Centre were given a first-hand glance at the progress being made on a solar vehicle prototype that has been under construction since last year, during a tour given by Samveg Saxena, president of the UOIT/Durham College Solar Vehicle Team and Geoff Chadsey the team's vice-president of Recruitment on Tuesday morning.

Moving full steam ahead on the design and construction of a prototype being manufactured from wood and metal, the UOIT/Durham College Solar Vehicle Team plans to have the prototype completed by the spring of 2006. Once completed, they will then begin construction on the solar vehicle itself which will be made out of fiberglass and run using the power of over 500 solar cells. Plans to have the vehicle roadworthy include having it built and tested by July 2007, just in time to compete in the North American Solar Challenge.

The challenge which takes place every two years in the United States, attracts teams from post-secondary institutions, companies, and organizations around the world looking to compete to see who has the fastest solar-powered car during the longest solar car race in the world.

The vehicle being designed by the team from the university and college requires close to $120,000 dollars to complete including parts, labour, testing and competition entry fees. A team of students responsible for building the vehicle currently meet three times a week to work on construction and an executive team works on media relations, fundraising and publicity on an ongoing basis. Students interested in joining the team and/or helping out with construction are asked to e-mail recruitment@uoitsolarcar.ca for more information.