Michigan: Leaving For Australia

The beginning of the fall semester marks a critical time for the 2007, 2008, and 2009 race seasons. The 2007 World Solar Challenge is only 47 days away and we're finally able to see our years of work translate into performance on the road. At the same time, our Team is seeing new beginnings as we prepare for the 2008 North American Solar Challenge and 2009 World Solar Challenge.

To ensure sufficient testing before the 2007 World Solar Challenge in October, our 23-student race crew is currently boarding planes for nearly 2-months of testing and prep in Australia with the UM Solar Car Team. The operations and strategy personnel will arrive in Melbourne this week to begin initial preparations while the engineering division finishes packing Continuum for shipment. Our Team has reached this important milestone after a hectic 6 weeks of work following the unveiling in mid July. Continuum has completed initial dynamic, endurance, and road testing in southeast Michigan after months of construction. The vehicle's solar array has just recently been completed and will continue testing after arrival in Australia later this month.

As we continue to prepare for the World Solar Challenge, our Team has a stable future in North America following the confirmation of the 2008 North American Solar Challenge (NASC). Teams from the US and Canada will compete in the 9th running of this cross continental event now sponsored by Toyota. This fall, students in Ann Arbor will be preparing for the running of Continuum in the 2008 NASC while others begin the design process for the 2009 World Solar Challenge.

--Tom Carroll