The "Midnight Sun Solar Race Team" is a Canadian solar car race team affiliated with the University of Waterloo

University of Waterloo

The University of Waterloo is a comprehensive public university in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1957 by Drs. Gerry Hagey and Ira G. Needles, and has since grown to an institution of more than 30,000 students, faculty, and staff...

 of Waterloo, Ontario. Founded in 1988, the Midnight Sun team is a student-run organization which designs and builds a solar vehicle biennially to compete in two solar challenges; the World Solar Challenge

World Solar Challenge

The World Solar Challenge is a solar-powered car race which covers through the Australian Outback, from Darwin to Adelaide.The race attracts teams from around the world, most of which are fielded by universities or corporations although some are fielded by high schools...

, held in Australia, and the American Solar Challenge, held in the United States. The team's roster recruits from every department on campus, resulting in a diverse, innovative team and work environment.
The Midnight Sun team’s mission is to build a competitive solar car which will promote design, innovation and teamwork amongst students at the University of Waterloo. Furthermore, they aim to educate the public on sustainable technologies as well as explore the possibilities of solar energy applications for a greener tomorrow.

Background Information

One of the team's major efforts is to raise environmental awareness and stir up interest in renewable energy. The team often travels and teaches about education and the environment and takes part in local community events such as the Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest parade and high school visits. On average the cost of the solar vehicle can reach over $200,000; with the solar cells and array costing the most. Much of the funding comes from donations and gifts; the two largest sponsors who contribute over $25,000 to our most recent project, MSX are Diamond Aircraft and Formashape 3D Architectural Design Solutions.
The team currently holds the Guinness World Record for "Longest Journey by Solar Electric Vehicle.”The trip took place from August 7 through September 14, 2004, the car traveled a total of 15,070 km (9,360 mi) through the United States and Canada.[2] The journey started at the university's Davis Center and visited Vancouver, San Francisco, Houston, Florida, Washington DC, New York City, and Halifax before finishing at Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

Due to the solar car's unusual design, during the trip on two occasions locals phoned radio stations to announce that a UFO was driving on the highway.[1] The team officially broke the record on August 26 when they crossed the border from California to Arizona.[4] The previous record was held by Queen’s University with a total of 7044 km travelled during July 2000. [11]

Although the team's work on the car is not part of the school curriculum, some students can integrate class projects into the club. For example, all engineering undergraduates are required to do a senior design project; some engineers design parts for the car, submit them for marks, and then install them.[1]

Behind the name

How did the team get their name?
Midnight Sun

Midnight sun

The midnight sun is a natural phenomenon occurring in summer months at latitudes north and nearby to the south of the Arctic Circle, and south and nearby to the north of the Antarctic Circle where the sun remains visible at the local midnight. Given fair weather, the sun is visible for a continuous...

 is a natural phenomenon occurring north of the Arctic Circle and south of the Antarctic Circle during the summer months where the sun remains visible 24 hours a day.

This phenomenon would, in theory, keep solar vehicles powered all day; making solar cars the effective and clean choice.

Model History

The club’s first vehicle was not a solar car, but a solar bicycle; dubbed Midnight Sun Zero which the team presented to then-Prime Minister Brian Mulroney

Brian Mulroney

Martin Brian Mulroney, was the 18th Prime Minister of Canada from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993 and was leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1983 to 1993. His tenure as Prime Minister was marked by the introduction of major economic reforms, such as the Canada-U.S...

. The team’s first solar car, MSI was completed during 1990 and competed in the 1990 GM Sunrayce USA (now known as the American Solar Challenge

American Solar Challenge

The American Solar Challenge , previously known as Sunrayce, the American Solar Challenge, and the North American Solar Challenge, is a solar car race across the United States and Canada. In the race, teams from colleges and universities throughout North America design, build, test, and race...

). Unfortunately, MSI was severely rear-ended by an out of control pick-up truck but still managed to finish 24th.
Midnight Sun II competed in Sunrayce 93, which ran from Dallas to Minneapolis. However, the model was plagued by low battery power and finished in 33rd place.
Midnight Sun III raced in Sunrayce 95 from Indianapolis to Denver and finished 20th overall.
Midnight Sun IV came 7th overall out of 36 vehicles in Sunrayce 97 and won the Award for Technical Innovation. Midnight Sun won the award because they were the first team to successfully implement sailed shaped front fairings used to catch crosswinds.
Midnight Sun V finished 10th overall in Sunrayce 1999 and was the first model to race in the 1999 World Solar Challenge, held in Australia. It came 25th overall in the World Solar Challenge and won the "Battler's Award" for "overcoming the most adversity to the finish line." The car's motor broke down with about 500 km to the finish line, but fortunately the team from MIT lent them a spare motor.
Midnight Sun VI came 3rd at the American Solar Challenge and 15th in the World Solar Challenge. It was also one of the most reliable models, with only one flat tire.
Midnight Sun VII finished 3rd in the 2003 American Solar Challenge and earned the Award for Technical Innovation for the use of adaptable fairings, which enhanced sailing performance. The car later set a world record for its journey through the United States and Canada.
Midnight Sun VIII finished 5th overall in the 2005 American Solar Challenge and earned the Teamwork award.[5]
Midnight Sun IX was unveiled on August 12, 2007 and painted black and gold in honour of the school's 50th anniversary. It is the first model to feature an upright seat, allowing for better visibility and a better fit for the five-point harness.http://news.therecord.com/article/227560%20Racing%20with%20the%20Sun It is about 1.8 m (5.9 ft) wide, 5 m (16 ft) long, and less than 1 m (3.3 ft) high—approximately the size of a Toyota Prius

Toyota Prius

The Toyota Prius is a full hybrid electric mid-size hatchback, formerly a compact sedan developed and manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation...

.
It is capable of speeds up to 115 km/h from dawn until a few hours past dusk [1], and finished in 4th place overall in the 2008 North American Solar Challenge, a race in which only 15 of 25 cars made it to the final leg.[8] Midnight Sun IX placed 16th overall in the 2007 World Solar Challenge and 2nd place in the “Challenge Production Class”. [8]
Midnight Sun X is the team’s most recent car; it can reach a top speed of 130 km/hr and has a cruising speed of 80 km/hr. [9] This model has SunPower A300 solar cells installed for the car’s solar array. These cells are one of the world’s most cost-effective solar cells on the market, giving the best dollar-to-watts ratio. [10] Midnight Sun X finished 30th in the 2011 World Solar Challenge.
In February 2008, the team was featured on the Discovery Channel's Mean Green Machines.[3]
The 8th generation of their solar car, MSVIII is currently on display at the Canadian Museum of Science and Technology located in Ottawa, and it will remain there until 2012. The solar car placed 4th in the North American Solar Challenge in 2008. The title of top Canadian team was also given to the team for the NASC.[12]
The 9th generation of their solar car, Midnight Sun IX (MSIX) was on display at the second annual solar and conservation fair in Toronto. In 2007 , the MSIX placed 16th in 2007 for the World Solar Challenge. The solar car placed 4th in the North American Solar Challenge in 2008. The title of top Canadian team was also given to the team for the NASC.
The current 10th generation of the car is on its way back from the 2011 Veoila World Solar Challenge which took place in Australia from October 17-22. During this World Solar Challenge, the MSX placed 30th in the competition.

Record

Year	Model	Event	Place	Notes
1990	I	Sunrayce	24th	Did not finish; Car was bumped off the road by an out of control pickup truck
1992	II	Sunrayce	33rd	Suffered from low battery power
1995	III	Sunrayce	20th	Numerous mechanical problems during the race
1997	IV	Sunrayce	7th	Top Canadian team; Won "Award for Technical Innovation"
1999	V	Sunrayce	10th
1999	V	WSC World Solar Challenge The World Solar Challenge is a solar-powered car race which covers through the Australian Outback, from Darwin to Adelaide.The race attracts teams from around the world, most of which are fielded by universities or corporations although some are fielded by high schools...	25th	Finished 5th for "Cut-out Class"; Won Battler's Award for persevering when the motor failed
2001	VI	ASC	3rd	Top Canadian team; Only one flat tire; "Sunrayce" became "American Solar Challenge"
2001	VI	WSC	15th
2003	VII	ASC	3rd	Top Canadian team; Technical Innovation Award
2005	VIII	NASC	5th	Top Canadian team; "American Solar Challenge" became "North American Solar Challenge"
2007	IX	WSC	16th	Finished 2nd place in "Challenge Production Class"
2008	IX	NASC	4th	Top Canadian team
2011	X	WSC	30th	Battery and brake issues