Every two years, universities across the world compete in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge. Drivers in the 1,800-mile race cross the Australian outback in solar-powered cars engineered, designed and built by students.
The University of Michigan’s car—named Novum—finished second in the Challenger Class in 2017, the highest place from a North American university. Over the past 27 years of competing, Michigan has come in third a total of five times.
The bullet-shaped Novum completed the trek across the outback in about five days, about an hour and a half behind the first place Dutch winner, Nuon. The car traveled at an average of about 47.9 mph.