(University of Michigan: Ann Arbor, MI) -- With its sleek 2011 car, “Quantum,” now built and ready for testing, the nation’s No. 1 solar-car team is preparing to take on the world.

University of Michigan’s (U-M) reigning champions of the North American Solar Challenge will compete October 16–23, 2011, in the 1,800-mile 2011 World Solar Challenge across the Australian outback. The U-M team, which has been around for two decades, has won the continental race six times and finished third in the global contest four times.

This year the team is shooting for best in the world. “I think we have a better chance of winning this year than we’ve ever had in the past,” says Chris Hilger, the team’s business manager, a junior in chemical engineering. “We have collaborated with the university and industry at an unprecedented level to give our team access to the best engineering talent and resources the automotive industry has to offer.”

 …