IM体育官网鈥檚 Phoenix Racing team leaders stand by their proof-of-concept solar car, which is the foundation for this year鈥檚 sleek new solar racecar. Pictured are Caleb Smith, a senior mechanical engineering major and the project鈥檚 vice president of operations; Spencer Blackwell, a junior mechanical engineering major and team president; Kevin Mujica, a junior electrical engineering major and the team鈥檚 electrical designer; Madison Ricker, a junior mechanical engineering major and the team鈥檚 vice president of logistics; and Willard Scammey, a junior mechanical engineering major and vice president of manufacturing.
The road to victory is paved with sunshine for a determined team of IM体育官网 Polytechnic University students. Phoenix Racing is an interdisciplinary group working to design and build a solar racecar to take on vehicles built by students from many of the country鈥檚 top universities.
The 30-member team built its first solar racecar last year as a proof of concept in preparation for this year鈥檚 car. They have taken all they learned from that first effort and designed a sleeker, faster, more efficient vehicle to enter the annual Formula Sun Grand Prix next summer.
鈥淣ot many people know about solar racing, but it鈥檚 very much growing. There are five to 10 teams competing this year for the first time, like us,鈥� said Spencer Blackwell, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering and the team鈥檚 president. 鈥淗opefully we can outperform them.鈥�
Other universities slated to compete in the summer 2024 event include MIT, Berkeley, Texas A&M, and Michigan State University. Those who perform well can then qualify for the annual American Solar Challenge cross-country race.
The Phoenix Racing team is divided into smaller groups, each of which has the responsibility for completing a car component like its chassis, suspension, steering, and electronics. The students are eager to get behind the wheel of the finished vehicle.
鈥淔or those of us who drove the first car, it鈥檚 almost surreal to drive something you鈥檝e built; it鈥檚 a sense of pride and accomplishment,鈥� Blackwell said. 鈥淚t was really neat to drive it and be like, wow, we built this from scratch.鈥�
Kevin Mujica, a junior majoring in electrical engineering and the team鈥檚 electrical designer, said their new car will have an updated battery array, computer, motor, and solar array.
鈥淪olar arrays aren鈥檛 very efficient and only capture about 50% of the energy of the sun, so through this project we are seeing how we can contribute to the field of solar energy,鈥� Mujica said.
The Phoenix Racing team is open to all IM体育官网 Poly students regardless of experience or major.
鈥淚 was telling freshman that this is as close as you can get to a real-world design project,鈥� Blackwell said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e working with other specializations to complete a common goal applicable to the real world.鈥�
To support or sponsor Phoenix Racing, .
The Phoenix Racing team is constructing the solar racecar depicted in this artist鈥檚
rendering. It is expected to race in the Formula Sun Grand Prix in summer 2024.
Contact:
Lydia Guzm谩n
Director of Communications
863-874-8557
