ASU students first built an electric racing car in 1993. The electric car is part of the continuing Arizona Horizon Project, a student organization in the College of Engineering and Applied Science's Center for Energy Systems Research. ASU's red and white electric car is 163 inches long and weighs 2,500 pounds. The car has fared well on the Formula Lightning racing circuit, earning two firsts and several top-three finishes. Formula Lightning is an electric car racing class in which universities use the same style chassis and body.
Students design the drive systems by choosing the motor and battery components.
Teams from 13 universities usually compete in the races. Between races, students do research to improve the car's performance. They constantly test and retest car parts and push them to their limits. An industrial engineering major, Bailey serves as marketing director for ASU's electric car team. Two of the ASU car's four motors died during an August 1994 race in Indianapolis.