News

Solar Car Team to participate in K-week, beginning of the year activities
08/18/2009 - 21:57 posted by samnicaise

The University of Kentucky Solar Car Team will be very active around campus the beginning of this semester. We will be attending, with Gato del Sol III all of the main events, as well as a few of our own. We invite everyone, young and old, science geek and book worm, scared and gregarious to come see our car, meet the team, and enjoy the start of the semester.

Below is the list of events and links (if applicable) to more details:

Saturday August 22nd - Campus Ruckus - K-lot
Sunday August 23rd - Student Center Spectacular - UK Student Center Parking Lot
Tuesday August 25th - Freshman Engineering Orientation - Engineering Courtyard
Thursday August 27th - Student Involvement Fair - Sidewalk between WT Young Library and Rose Street

And our own event:
Semester Kick-off Meeting, Monday August 31st
This event will be held at our garage at 7pm until the sun comes up (well not quite, there are (un)fortunately classes the next day). We will have games, socializing, tours of our garage, time to check out our cars, presentations and FREE FOOD by Chik-fil-a. Show up early to make sure you get a piece of the action (and Chikin(r?) goodness). The event will be cosponsored by our Lexignton friends Big Ass Fans. Everyone is invited for a good time, so we hope to see you there.
UK students working on solar-powered car
08/06/2009 - 20:59 - source: Daily News Bowling Green KY [Original article]

When Nick Such traveled to Bowling Green this week, he found what he was looking for: tips for building a car powered by the sun.

Such is one of a dozen University of Kentucky students and graduates who plan to build and race a solar-powered car - a small, three-wheeled vehicle that uses solar panels to generate power. And the group is consulting with a local company to build the cutting-edge car. (More...)

Update 8/16/2009: This article was picked up by the AP and published in the Louisville Courier-Journal on August 10th, 2009 and on 5 News' (Ft. Smith-Fayetteville, AR) website.
Visit to So-Komp
08/04/2009 - 20:12 posted by nicksuch

Now that our foam plug has returned from CNC, it is time to start manufacturing the mold for Gato del Sol IV's aerodynamic outer shell. Mike and Nick traveled to Bowling Green, KY today to meet with Southern Komposites, an high-quality composites manufacturer. Gary and Bill gave us a great briefing on the composite manufacturing process from their extensive aerospace experience. This will be a great aid the UK Solar Car Team in its transition from wet layup fiberglass to a more professional process aimed at yielding a lighter, more aerodynamic shell.

Nick and Mike from the UK Solar Car Team meet with Gary Smrtic and Bill Smrtic from So-Komp. Their involvement in both racing and alternative energy is a great match for our project.

Gary discusses mold construction with Mike
Foam is back from APW
08/02/2009 - 12:40 posted by samnicaise

Thanks to our friends at Advanced Pattern Works, the foam plug mold for the top half of GDS4 looks beautiful! Next up: surface gelcoat and sanding...

Way to go Aero design team, Aero fabrication (everybody who epoxied the foam together), and Kyle and Jeremy (and Jeremy's dad) who made the 13-hour excursion to retrieve the mold!

Enjoy some spy photos!
Visit to TOPY America
07/31/2009 - 02:59 posted by nicksuch

Three members of the UK Solar Car Team visited TOPY America on Thursday. Keith connected with Grant Baker, TOPY Production Engineer and classic car aficionado, at the Keeneland Concours d'Elegance. We are excited to build a relationship with TOPY as Keith leads the design of the new 16in wheels for Gato del Sol IV.
Early Shell Mold Pics!
07/30/2009 - 01:14 posted by nicksuch

The top half of Gato del Sol IV's shell plug mold is currently being cut to shape by our friends at Advanced Pattern Works. Check out these photos!
UK Solar Car Team brings Gato del Sol III to Keeneland Concours d'Elegance
07/22/2009 - 22:09 posted by Brent

On Saturday, July 18, we brought our car to the fourth annual Keeneland Concours d'Elegance. Proceeds from the car show benefited the Kentucky Children's Hospital. Our car was displayed on exhibition and it was neat to be around so much automotive history. We brought the only solar powered vehicle to the show, however there were two electric Tesla Roadsters in attendance. The Tesla was astonishingly fast and completely silent; truly a revolutionary piece of automotive hardware.

The crowd had lots of questions about our team and car, and it was a joy to spend the day talking about the future of transportation. Even though the team is out presenting our project, our work is never done. We are continuing to develop and build our new car! We are looking for individuals and companies that would like to advance solar transportation research and benefit engineering education by supporting our team. One great way is through Adopt-a-Cell on our Donation page.

Our display:

Team Members with UK Coach Joe B. Hall:
Gato del Sol III Attending 2009 Keeneland Concours d'Elegance
07/16/2009 - 10:03 posted by Brent

The University of Kentucky Solar Car Team will be bringing Gato del Sol III to the 2009 Keeneland Concours d'Elegance car show on Saturday, July 18. The show runs from 9:00am to 4:30pm at the Keeneland race grounds. Tickets are $15. More information is available at: www.keenelandconcours.com/.
New Leadership Team Selected for 2009-10
07/11/2009 - 15:57 posted by nicksuch

The University of Kentucky Solar Car Team is proud to announce its new leadership team for the 2009-10 season! This group of motivated students will serve to support their fellow team members to finance, design, build, and race UK's 4th solar-powered car, Gato del Sol IV, in the 2010 North American Solar Challenge.

Sam Nicaise - Team General Manager. EE Senior, Covington, KY.

Mark Taylor - Race Manager. ME Senior, Dillsburg, PA.

Brent White - Business Manager. ME Junior, Murray, KY.

Matt Deye - Electrical Systems Manager. EE Junior, Fort Mitchell, KY.

Brian Passafiume - Mechanical Systems Manager. ME Senior, Louisville, KY.

Kyle Stein - Aerodynamics Team Leader. ME Junior, Edgewood, KY

This new group has stepped up to the plate following the graduation of three former team members:

Anthony Robertson, former Mechanical Systems Manager, recently began employment as a civilian Aeronautical Systems Engineer at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, OH. As part of a two-year Engineer-in-Training program, Anthony will gain practical work experience and earn his masters in engineering.

Nick Such, former Team General Manager, was recently accepted to the MBA program at the Stanford Graduate School of Business with a two-year deferral. In the meantime, Nick is working with local business incubator Awesome Inc., and is also pursuing internships with the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation and a few other high-tech startups.

Will Wade, former Webmaster, has accepted a position with Microsoft in Redmond, WA. Will is a Software Development Engineer in Test working with the Customer Experience Group for the Windows OS. Lately he has enjoyed digging deeper into Visual Studio integration.
Advanced Circuits, General Mills Pillsbury and Balluff Donations
06/29/2009 - 20:11 posted by samnicaise

The Solar Car Team would like to thank Advanced Circuits, General Mills Pillsbury Plant in New Albany, IN, and Balluff in Florence, KY.

Advanced Circuits has granted us $500 in PCB layout manufacturing.

General Mills Pillsbury Plant has donated $250.

Balluff has donated all of our in-car communications and board powering cabling.

We are very appreciative of the support of these generous corporations.