2019
Electrum
2019 World Solar Challenge 3rd Place
We proudly unveiled Electrum on July 19 at the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn. With an electrical system overhaul and tuned-up aerodynamics, Electrum placed 3rd at the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in 2019, making it our 7th BWSC podium finish.
Looking at Electrum’s chassis you can see some of Novum’s DNA shining through. However, the car is slightly more pointed, its cockpit is four inches closer to its nose, and the back of the car where the solar cells are nested is slightly longer and wider. According to Bennet McGlade, 2019 Engineering Director and Mechanical Engineering graduate, all of these changes were done to boost aerodynamics and efficiency.
In tandem with the increased area for the solar cells, we have purchased trapezoid solar cells rather than the rectangles used previously. While the shape has changed, the solar cells are still multijunction gallium arsenide. The new shape allows for more cells to be packed in the same amount of space.
Read more: Under the Hood of Michigan Solar Car Team’s Electrum
