This year has been an exciting one for Illini Solar Car. The team returned from Santa Fe, NM this summer after placing 3rd at the 2021 Formula Sun Grand Prix and 4th at the 2021 American Solar Challenge. Their second-generation road-legal vehicle, named Brizo, drove over 1,000 miles on public roads and highways across the United States, racking up the 2nd most official miles out of all the competition. The team is looking forward to returning to compete at the 2022 American Solar Challenge this upcoming summer and is aiming for a podium finish. To do so, the team will drive over 2,000 miles from Independence, MO to Twin Falls, Idaho. To prepare for the upcoming competition, a team of over 20 members are training and practicing. They will continue to test drive and improve Brizo so they are ready come July for the race.

Meanwhile, members of the mechanical and electrical groups are looking to the future. In the fall, designs for a third-generation vehicle, known as “Project C” began. This car will see improvements in weight, efficiency, and aerodynamics, with new and innovative designs for the shell, chassis, and battery pack. The team’s third-generation car will make its debut at the 2023 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in Australia. There, the car will travel across the Australian Outback on a 3000 km journey and compete against the best teams in the world. This will mark Illini Solar Car’s return to the world stage for the first time since 2017. Manufacturing for “Project C” will begin this Spring and go into full swing this upcoming Fall.

Figure 11. Top-secret planning for project C.