By Blake Haas
NORMAL – Illinois State University’s Solar Car “Racying” Team is competing in a cross-country 1,000-mile adventure in the 2021 American Solar Car Challenge.
Known as Team Mercury, the all-volunteer, student-led team will tackle the American Solar Challenge from Aug. 3-7.
Team President Alex Plumador, who graduated in May with a double major in physics and computational physics, said the race would take them on a four-state tour.
“It’s a 1,000-mile journey; we don’t go on the interstate; these cars tend to go a little bit slower than vehicles on the interstate across the country.”
Speaking with WJBC’s Marc Strauss, Plumador said the all-solar vehicle drives roughly 40-45 miles per hour.
“It’s really beautiful seeing the country at that speed because normally you are just on the interstate going point A to point B, so it’s nice to take a breather and look around. It’s also really incredible seeing our car traverse the countryside. Seeing it go through Kansas, and a little bit of Missouri, Colorado, and then into New Mexico. It’s going to be some beautiful country that we’re going to be driving the car through.”
Plumador said the all-solar car uses go-kart breaks and the same electronic and technology that an electric vehicle would use.
Team Mercury has been building and racing solar-powered vehicles since 2005.
Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].
