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MIT staff blogger Matt McGann '00

Solar Car Pulled Over by Matt McGann '00

The MIT Solar Car Team got in a little trouble.

Yesterday’s Boston Herald had a story about the MIT Solar Electric Vehicle Team (SEVT) getting into a little trouble:

 

A group of MIT students were taking out the Tesseract – a solar powered car that took third place in the 2003 World Solar Challenge in Australia – for a spin on Mount Auburn Street when a state trooper pulled them over for not displaying a license plate yesterday morning. Other problems the trooper noticed: no headlights, no rearview mirror, overly tinted windows and no windshield wipers. For the record, it also looks a little like a stealth bomber.

 

My friend and SEVT member Ben Glass ’07 had somewhat of an explanation:

 

Aerodynamics was the reason the license plates weren’t attached to Tesseract, said MIT student Ben Glass, who was traveling ahead in a lead car. “Obviously it’s not built for the road,” he said.

 

I don’t know if they were issued a fine, but if so, I’d be more than happy to help defray the cost.


Tesseract, the MIT solar electric vehicle.

Next up for Tesseract: The North American Solar Challenge. The race will begin July 17th in Austin, TX, make its way through the Plains states/breadbasket provinces before finishing July 27th in Calgary, AB. Check out the schedule and best times for viewing in your town here.

10 responses to “Solar Car Pulled Over”

  1. Kiersten says:

    HOLA!

    HA!!! I laugh:)

    ADIOS!~Kiersten~

  2. Ben (WUS) says:

    w00t to Aschere

  3. Laila Shabir says:

    I like the car!!! wink

  4. aaron says:

    http://www.princetonreview.com/college/research/profiles/rankings.asp?listing=1023832&LTID=1

    how come MIT is ranked among colleges having tiny, unsightly campuses and professors with low marks???

  5. noor says:

    i want to drive that car , if you may

  6. Meder says:

    whoa, cool new home smile

    the car looks great

  7. Laila Shabir says:

    yes i saw that on princetonreview too..

  8. Shikhar says:

    Hi matt.Great job on the new blog and man does the car look great.I have a problem regarding my application though,would you be kind enough to answer it.

    I got a letter from K lowry of RSI. I asked her that I was an international student and that I wanted to take part in RSI but that I was a senior. However, I also told her that I would graduate high school in late june 2006. She said that I would be elligible to apply in her mail.

    Should I still apply to colleges for fall 2006 or leave it for 2007,assuming I were to apply to RSI.

    Although i do feel that I’m ready to take on college as I would graduate in june 2006.

    Just thought I’d get the opinion of adcomm of my top prority school.

    P.S. I am an Indian student living in India

  9. Jeff says:

    When can the general population expect to be able to purchase a solar car ?