In commemoration of Earth Day 2005, Motorola Inc., invites Chicago-area media to an exclusive showing of Momentum , a solar car designed and raced by engineering students at the University of Michigan (UM). Momentum will compete in this summer's 2,450-mile North American Solar Challenge race from Texas to Canada.

The UM car weighs 700 lbs, is 5.9 feet wide, 16.4 feet long and only 3.6 feet high. It is powered by more than 3000 solar cells. It can go as fast as 80 mph using the same amount of power as a hair dryer with a fuel equivalency of 1600 mpg.

More than 40 solar cars will compete in the 2005 North American Solar Challenge that starts July 17 in Austin, Tex., and ends 10 days later in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.[via motorola press release]