Appalachian State’s solar vehicle racing team has unveiled its newest race car, ahead of two major competitions this summer.
In 2013, Team Sunergy started as a class project to build a solar-powered golf cart.
Thirteen years later, the team draws students from majors across campus, all working toward one goal: building the fastest solar car they can.
Their latest effort is called Autumn, a next-generation vehicle the team says is 40% lighter and 60% more aerodynamic than its predecessor. The car now runs on a stronger battery and an ultra-lightweight carbon fiber frame.
Sunergy has placed on the podium every year it's competed, including a first-place finish in the 2021 American Solar Challenge.
It's set to compete later this month at the Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix, a multi-day race where teams battle to complete the most laps on the track. The event runs from Jul 17 - 23 at the Brainerd International Raceway in Minnesota.
That serves as a qualifier for the American Solar Challenge, a 1,500-mile road race from Minneapolis to Amarillo, Texas.
Sunergy's manager says the new car gives them a real shot at first place.
But for the team, the mission goes beyond winning — it's part of a push to advance sustainable transportation technology.