The car, which will be powered by the sun’s energy and contains no pollutants, is 90 percent complete and looks far different from a normal gas-powered vehicle. It is expected to be able to reach speeds of at least 40 mph.

The MSU Solar Car Team has doubled its membership since 2007 and is now comprised of 20-25 students, most of which are engineering or computer science students, Karn said.

“There have been times in the past where we’ve had only one or two members, but we’ve made some changes,” Karn said.

“There’s no real qualifications to join and everyone’s welcome.”

The team is funded by ASMSU, Chrysler LLC and several other sponsors and has been operating for nearly 10 years, Karn said.

“I enjoy building something with all the progress that’s been made,” said Rick Pocklington, a computer science graduate student and team member. “I just like working as a team.”

Turn signals, lights and brake pedals are the recognizable items on the car’s body, but an electric throttle replaces the gas pedal and solar panels will be placed on the vehicle’s exterior once the frame is completed, Karn said. Also, a single seat and steering wheel are located inside the vehicle for the driver’s use.

Team members hope to test-drive the car Nov. 23, and when it’s completed later this academic year, the team plans to participate in a solar car race.

Solar car races can span the country or take place around a track. Cars are expected to withstand the entire stretch, Karn said.

The team traveled west during the summer to watch the North American Solar Challenge, which ran from Dallas to Calgary, Alberta.

The University of Michigan Solar Car Team took first place in this summer’s race and will offer stiff competition to MSU’s team in possible future matchups.

The U-M team builds a new car every two years and provides real-world experience for students, said Gabe Arroyo, a member of the engineering division of U-M’s team.

“It’s a lot like an internship because you can work on all sorts of areas,” he said.