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NEWS RELEASE

04-12-01

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

UNVEILING SET FOR ISU'S NEWEST SOLAR CAR

AMES, Iowa -- PrISUm Odyssey, Iowa State's entry into the American Solar Challenge, will be unveiled Friday, April 20, at 4:30 p.m. in the atrium of Howe Hall as part of Iowa State's Veishea celebration. The unveiling is free and open to the public.

Odyssey is the sixth solar car designed and built by Iowa State students. It is a sleek "2-D airfoil" design with color-phased flames painted on its nose. The car is similar in design to the previous ISU solar car, PrISUm Phoenix, which finished fifth in Sunrayce 99. But Odyssey includes several important advances, such as light-weight batteries and an innovative counter-balanced steering system. Because Odyssey is thinner than the last solar car, drivers will be lying down, rather than sitting upright, as they operate the car.

Interim President Richard Seagrave and Team PrISUm Director Nick Mohr will speak prior to the car's unveiling. Howe Hall is located on the west side of campus south of the College of Design and north of Beyer Hall.

This will be the first race of the American Solar Challenge, a Chicago to Los Angeles solar car race July 15-25. It is the successor to the Sunrayce solar car races, in which Iowa State teams have participated throughout the 1990s.

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Media representatives are welcome to take part in the first public viewing of PrISUm Odyssey on April 20, at 4:30 p.m. 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 5 p.m.