What is Sunrayce 99?
During the summer solstice in June of 1999, 40 cars will race down the east coast from Washington D.C. to Orlando. These cars are not normal racecars. They travel nearly noiselessly using only the power of the sun. Although the cars in this race seldom approach highway speeds, they perform at their maximum efficiency. They drive hundreds of miles a day with less power than a hairdryer uses.
The stars in this event are not the drivers like in professional auto racing. The teams' efforts during the one to two years of designing and building the solar cars determines who wins the race. Students from competing universities learn new technologies, develop building techniques, manage their projects, and even raise funding. They gain practical experience they will use in industry and the business world. Students apply their classroom knowledge in solving real world problems of engineering, science, business, and public relations.
