Coming off our 2008 victory, we have learned that every mile driven on Infinium before the race is one less mile we are likely to break down on the race. Reliability is essential to building a championship solar car, as well as allowing for ample time to make minor tweaks that translate into minutes off the clock.

Infinium at Michigan International Speedway

As of now, Infinium has driven for over 1080 miles (1738 kilometers) and 26 hours with an average speed around 40 mph (65 kph). We have tested the car through a variety of different scenarios: low speed endurance, high speed endurance, precision steering and handling, basic vehicle dynamics, cobblestone road, and open road during rush hour. I am happy to say that with the exception of a few very minor glitches, the car is performing exactly as designed. We also pass all mandated vehicle dynamics testing for both the 2009 Global Green Challenge and the 2010 North American Solar Challenge with a sizable safety factor. In fact, everyone who has driven the solar car attests that it handles significantly better than the vans that serve as our lead and chase vehicles.