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NEWS RELEASE

4-23-03

Contacts:
Eric Christensen, Team PrISUm, (515) 294-0899
Skip Derra, News Service, (515) 294-4917

IOWA STATE STUDENTS SET TO UNVEIL NEW SOLAR CAR

AMES, Iowa -- PrISUm Spectrum, Iowa State's entry into the American Solar Challenge, will be unveiled at 2:45 p.m., Friday, April 25, in the atrium of Howe Hall. The unveiling is free and open to the public.

Spectrum is the seventh solar car designed and built by Iowa State students. It is a sleek modified airfoil design that is painted gold in color-phased paint. The car is similar in design to the previous ISU solar car, PrISUm Odyssey, which raced in the 2001 American Solar Challenge. But Spectrum includes several important advances, including increased aerodynamics of the car's body and use of higher efficiency solar cells.

Engineering Dean Jim Melsa and Team PrISUm Director Eric Christensen will speak prior to the car's unveiling. Howe Hall is on the west side of campus south of the College of Design and north of Beyer Hall.

This will be the second American Solar Challenge, a Chicago to Los Angeles solar car race that will be held July 13-23. It is the successor to the Sunrayce solar car races, in which Iowa State teams have participated dating back to 1990.

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Media representatives are welcome to take part in the first public viewing of PrISUm Spectrum at 2:45 p.m. April 25, in the atrium of Howe Hall. The unveiling will provide good visuals and all of the key students who designed and built the car will be on hand for interviews. Program begins at 3 p.m.