Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Solar Electric Vehicle Team records
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Scope and Contents of the Collection
This collection contains press clippings, photographs, correspondence, drawings and publications of the student group of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Solar Electric Vehicle Team. There is administrative material and correspondence between team members and sponsors or race organizers, but much of the collection comprises printed or published materials. There are many pamphlets, rulebooks, maps and press clippings from solar car races entered by the team. There is some information about the history of the group in a 1988 article by its founder, James Worden (box 1, folder 26), and in a summary of races, events and exhibitions prepared in 1994 (box 1, folder 16).
The collection also contains information about the planning and design of many of the team's solar cars. The sketches and designs in this collection are often roughly drawn and rarely contain dates or labels. There are many photographs of team members and cars.
Dates
- Creation: 1980 - 1997
Creator
Access note
This collection is open.
Conditions Governing Use
Access to collections in the Department of Distinctive Collections is not authorization to publish. Please see the MIT Libraries Permissions Policy for permission information. Copyright of some items in this collection may be held by respective creators, not by the donor of the collection or MIT.
Historical note
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Solar Electric Vehicle Team is a recognized student organization at MIT. The Solar Car Project began in the spring of 1986, largely through the efforts of James Worden , class of 1989.
The first solar car built by the MIT group was the Solectria 3. The car was constructed with the help of limited funding from the MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering and became the first American entry in the Tour de Sol 1986, an international solar car competition which took place in Germany and Switzerland. The Solar Electric Vehicle Team regularly entered cars in the Tour de Sol and the American Tour de Sol, a race usually run between Boston and Vermont. The MIT team won the American Tour de Sol in 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993 and 1994 and was among the top finishers at races around the world.
Current information about the Solar Electric Vehicle Team can be found on the group's website:
Extent
2.3 Cubic Feet (2 record cartons, 1 flat box)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Solar Electric Vehicle Team is a recognized student organization at MIT. The Solar Car Project began in the spring of 1986 with the purpose of building and racing a solar car. The first solar car built by the MIT group was the Solectria 3, which became the first American entry in the Tour de Sol 1986, an international solar car competition which took place in Germany and Switzerland. The team regularly entered cars in the Tour de Sol and the American Tour de Sol, winning the American race in in 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993 and 1994 and placing among the top finishers at races around the world. The records include information about the planning and design of many of the solar cars; rulebooks, maps and press clippings from races entered by the team, as well as photographs of team members and cars.
Location
Materials are stored off-site. Advance notice is required for use.
Processing Information note
Some collection descriptions are based on legacy data and may be incomplete or contain inaccuracies. Description may change pending verification. Please contact the MIT Department of Distinctive Collections if you notice any errors or discrepancies.
Subject
- Title
- Guide to the Records of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Solar Electric Vehicle Team
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Nicholas Graham
- Date
- Copyright 1999
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Libraries. Department of Distinctive Collections Repository
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Libraries
Building 14N-118
77 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge MA 02139-4307 US
distinctive-collections@mit.edu
