Yesterday we began to put the finishing touches on our upper surface plug before shipping them to General Motors for mold production. To ensure the plugs are of the highest quality before being used to create a mold, we needed to consult the expertise of Alternative Automotive in Troy, Michigan.   Alternative Automotive allowed several team members to work side by side with its employees to remove any imperfections and produce a stellar plug. In addition, team members have learned many valuable bodywork skills along the way. The upper plug is scheduled to be ready for GM by Monday.

Stay tuned for more updates regarding Alternative Automotive and the entire plug/mold fabrication process!

Below is a picture of team members in front of the facility:

Today we delievered our first round of full sized plugs to General Motors Design Center in Warren, Michigan. A special thanks goes out to Dave Brigolin, Dave Bolognino, and Mike Hogan at GM for their efforts producing quality molds from the plugs. We hope to have these first set of molds completed in the coming weeks.

Here is a short video of our Crew Chief, Gerald Chang providing an update from the workspace.

The team has been busy during the Holiday break ramping up for the build phase of the project. Plugs are currently being produced at Advanced Pattern Works in Collinsville, IL. Several team members traveled down to their facilities to glue tooling board together before the milling process begins.

Back in Ann Arbor, the team has spent time prepping the machined plugs to be sent to General Motors for mold production.  This preparation included some hand sanding and application of a lacquer sealant.

We will be dropping the upper surface plug to GM at the start of the New Year, and hope to be laying up carbon in the following weeks!

Solar Car Supporters-

The unveiling is only one week away! We hope you will joing us this Friday June 5th, 3pm at the Henry Ford Museum to witness the unveiling of the tenth-generation Michigan solar car: Infinium. After the unveiling Infinium will be on display outside the museum so you can get a closer look. If you plan on attending, please RSVP here.

Michigan Team’s 20^th Anniversary Solar Car To Be Unveiled At The Henry Ford Museum

May 28, 2009

ANN ARBOR –The University of Michigan Solar Car Team will reveal its much anticipated tenth^-generation Michigan Solar Car, Infinium, during a public unveiling event in the Sally and Wendell Anderson Theater at The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich. on Friday, June 5 at 3p.m.

The event will celebrate the past, present, and future of the Michigan Solar Car Team. Beginning with the keynote address given by Susan Fancy, a founding member of the Michigan Solar Car Team, the ceremony will culminate in the unveiling of the tenth-generation Michigan Solar Car, Infinium. Infinium will make its first public appearance just feet away from where the first Michigan Solar Car, Sunrunner, is on permanent display at the Henry Ford Museum. The unveiling will introduce the team members and honor the team’s sponsors, including Ford, GM, Delta, and the University of Michigan College of Engineering. Additional speakers will include David Munson, the Dean of the College of Engineering, Project Manager Steven Hechtman, and Business Director Julia Hawley.

The all-new vehicle is designed, built, and raced by an all-student crew. The Michigan Solar Car Team is the most decorated solar car team in North America, with five North American Championships and three third place finishes at the World Solar Challenge). Infinium will build on the success of previous generations of solar cars while incorporating the newest and most innovative technology available. Showcasing the latest technologies from advanced electric vehicles and photovoltaic systems, Infinium is predicted to be the most competitive Michigan Solar Car yet, achieving top speeds more than 90 MPH and a range of more than 200 miles in the absence of sun.

The 2009 team’s founding vision is to be the best solar car team in the world, leading in performance and innovation. The immediate goal is to bring the World Championship home to the United States for the first time since the inaugural World Solar Challenge was won by General Motors more than two decades ago. Michigan is the defending North American champion and will compete for the World Championship against over 60 universities, private teams, and corporations in the Global Green Challenge (previously the World Solar Challenge), an 1,800-mile cross-continent race through the Australian Outback. The Global Green Challenge begins Oct. 25, 2009.

The UM Solar Car Team is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and is an entirely student-run organization whose solar-powered vehicles compete across North America and throughout the world. Further event and RSVP details, as well as more information about current and former University of Michigan Solar Car Teams, can be found online at www.umsolar.com/unveiling.

Go Fast, Go Smooth, GO BLUE!

Contact:

Julia Hawley, Business Director

University of Michigan Solar Car Team

734-764-2257

http://www.umsolar.com

solarcar@umich.edu