Vehicles must be lightweight yet roadworthy, and the team needs to work through the night in order to race the vehicle in daylight.

The solar-powered vehicle Nimbus on display in our lobby was developed with custom software to help the team make strategic and informed decisions on the road, in real time. It tracks elevation, weather and road conditions, battery levels, and driving laws to optimize the speed of the vehicle at any given moment.

Nimbus traveled from Independence, Missouri to Twin Falls, Idaho in eight days, winning the American Solar Challenge in 2021 and 2022. The team’s goal, however, is about more than winning races. It’s about pushing forward renewable energy initiatives and challenging themselves as engineers to create well-designed systems.