Welcome to Team PrISUm

Team PrISUm is a multidisciplinary, student-run organization at Iowa State University (ISU) which designs, builds, and races solar powered electric vehicles across the United States every few years in the American Solar Challenge. Outreach and education are also important aspects of our project as we attempt to raise awareness about solar energy and efficient transportation. Don't hesitate to email us if you would like to have our solar car at an event.

This project would not be possible without our current and past sponsors. We encourage you to take a look at our sponsorship page and download a copy of the corporate sponsorship packet or an adopt-a-cell form to find out how you can help us pave the way towards a future in renewable energy!

2010 American Solar Challenge

Team PrISUm is currently building its tenth solar car, which will be competing in the 2010 American Solar Challenge in June. This race is of historic value to our team because it will be our 10th race with our 20th anniversary car. We look forward to another exciting season of solar car racing!

Team News Articles

Delta Airlines Body Layup Trip - March 8, 2010

Over the past two weekends, members of Team PrISUm travelled to the Delta Airlines Repair facility at the Minneapolis International Airport and laid up the carbon fiber body for the car. Despite issues with curing temperature and low resin content in our unidirectional fiber, we have made good progress and finished all of our layups except for the top shell. We are thankful for Delta's support following their acquisition of Northwest Airlines, which had been a long time sponsor of our team. We are especially thankful for the advice and expertise of Erin, Delta's composites expert, who helped us overcome significant challenges during the layup process. If all goes as planned, the top shell will be back in our shop next week so we can bond the two shells together and move towards a finished car body.

Thanks to Heartland Express - March 8, 2010

We want to extend our thanks to Heartland Express based in North Liberty, IA for shipping our molds to and from the Delta Airlines repair facility in Minneapolis, MN. This generous donation allowed us to lay up our carbon fiber body so we can now move forward with the frame and other mechanical systems on the car.

Car Name is Decided - March 1, 2010

After months of deliberation, we came to a final vote and Anthelion will be the name for our tenth generation solar car (formerly referred to as P10). Anthelion is a rare natural phenomenon consisting of a white halo in the sky opposite the sun on the parhelic circle. Thanks to everyone who submitted name suggestions. We are currently working on some exciting color schemes for the body, which should be complete in April.

Check from Honeywell, Kansas City Plant - February 28, 2010

In an effort to expand university outreach, ISU alumni at Honeywell's Kansas City Plant raised $1,000 for the solar car project and presented a check to the team in Howe Hall earlier this month. As we enter the last few months of the project, cash donations enable us to cover the necessary last minute preparations for the American Solar Challenge. We extend our thanks to Honeywell for their support, which will help us cover the race entry fees.

Electrical Update - February 22, 2010

Team PrISUm's electrical team recently received the parts required to assemble the car's battery protection system. This is one of the most complex electrical systems on the car and we intend to test it thoroughly with reconfigured battery packs on our current car before implementing it on the new vehicle.

Preparing Body Molds for Layup - February 22, 2010

Over the past two weekends, Team PrISUm has finished spraying the foam molds with Duratec primer. Thanks to Shaffer's Auto Body and George White Chevrolet in Ames for allowing us to use their paint booths. We are currently finishing sanding and buffing the Duratec finish in anticipation of laying up the carbon fiber body in the coming weeks. We also expect to have our aluminum frame welded in the same timeframe and are looking forward to the final assembly stage of the project.

Thanks to Don Hummer Trucking - January 19, 2010

Team PrISUm would like to thank Don Hummer Trucking for donating a semi truck and driver for a weekend so that we could transport our molds to and from Wichita, Kansas for machining.

Foam Mold Machining at Harlow Aerostructures - January 18, 2010

January 15 kicked off a busy weekend for Team PrISUm. We began by submitting our Mechanical and Electrical reports to the American Solar Challenge race officials. Then we arrived at Harlow Aerostructures in Wichita, Kansas, where employees graciously donated a weekend of their time to machine the foam molds we spent so much time constructing last semester. It was exciting to see the molds finally take the shape of our new car and we are forever thankful to the wonderful people at Harlow who made this possible. For a more detailed look at the process, check out Flickr gallery or watch the video from the event. Looking ahead, we have several busy weeks of sanding and priming the molds before we can leave for our carbon fiber layup trip in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

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