In a cramped corner workspace in a mechanical engineering building at the University of Washington, a team of students is working to harness the power of the sun.
They operate on a fraction of the budget of elite international programs, fitting build hours around class schedules and other extracurriculars. Yet this summer, the scrappy crew took their handmade, solar-powered car — dubbed Sakura — out of the shop and onto the open road.
Over seven days in July and 1,778 miles from Minnesota to Texas, they outpaced nearly every competitor to finish fourth overall and cross the line as the top-ranking American team in the American Solar Challenge.
N…
Read the full article at GEEKWIRE.COM