U of Minn. team presents new solar-powered car

A team of students at the University of Minnesota are set to present their next-generation solar-powered car to the public this week.

The university says the media and sponsors will get a peek late Thursday morning and the general public will get to see it Friday afternoon near Lind Hall on the Minneapolis campus.

The new car is named Centaurus II and is a completely new design from the university's previous eight solar vehicles, with better aerodynamics and solar array.

The 400-pound car will be entered into the 2010 American Solar Challenge, a 1,100-mile race from Tulsa, Okla. to Chicago, Ill., starting June 19.

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The Minnesota team will be one of 18 from Canada, Germany, Taiwan and the United States in designing, building and driving a vehicle that's powered by the sun.

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On the Net:

University of Minnesota, Solar Vehicle Project

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