Students participate in solar car competition

In 2012 the construction trade and tech class built a solar car to compete in the solar car challenge in California.

“The class of 2012 was the first class ever to work on the solar car and it took two to three years to complete,” senior Hai Phan said.

The car was created for not only competition, but for educational purposes. It is powered by the solar panels on the roof of the car. The Solar car competition is a hybrid closed-track/cross-country event.

“The inspiration to create the solar car was for greener technologies and engineering experience,” Phan said.

The car is under construction to repair it as a whole.

“Currently the car is being rewired and parts are being replaced,” Phan said.

The car was used in a competition driving to California over a two week period.

“The experience was very interesting and we learned a lot,” Phan said.

This year the solar car race is taking place at Texas Motor Speedway.

“We participate in the Winston Solar Car Race, and the race is a two day trip to Austin,” teacher Tony Roseberry said.

The participants at the last race in the competition had to stop every night to rest before they continued on their route the next day.

“We stayed at hotels along the route for the two weeks we were traveling,” Phan said.

The next phase is to rebuild it for a more aerodynamic frame.