Solar car racing refers to competitive races of electric vehicles which are powered by solar energy obtained from solar panels on the surface of the car (solar cars). The first solar car race was the Tour de Sol in 1985 which led to several similar races in Europe, US and Australia. Such challenges are often entered by universities to develop their students' engineering and technological skills, but many business corporations have entered competitions in the past. A small number of high school teams participate in solar car races designed exclusively for high school students.
Distance races The two most notable solar car distance (overland) races are the World Solar Challenge and the American Solar Challenge. They are contested by a variety of university and corporate teams. Corporate teams participate in the races to give their design teams experience of working with both alternative energy sources and advanced materials. University teams participate in order to give their students experience in designing high technology cars and working with environmental and advanced materials technology. These races are often sponsored by government or educational agencies, and businesses such as Toyota keen to promote renewable energy sources.
Support The cars require intensive support teams similar in size to professional motor racing teams. This is especially the case with the World Solar Challenge where sections of the race run through very remote country. The solar car will travel escorted by a small caravan of support cars. In a long distance race each solar car will be preceded by a lead car that can identify problems or obstacles ahead of the race car. Behind the solar car there will be a mission control vehicle from which the race pace is controlled. Here tactical decisions are made based on information from the solar car and environmental information about the weather and terrain. Behind the mission control there might be one or more other vehicles carrying replacement drivers and maintenance support as well as supplies and camping equipment for the entire team.
World Solar Challenge
This race features a field of competitors from around the world who race to cross the Australian continent. The 30th Anniversary race of the World Solar Challenge was held in October 2017. Major regulation changes were released in June 2006 for this race to increase safety, to build a new generation of solar car, which with little modification could be the basis for a practical proposition for sustainable transport and intended to slow down cars in the main event, which could easily exceed the speed limit (110 km/h) in previous years. In 2013 the organisers of the event introduced the Cruiser Class to the World Solar Challenge, designed to encourage contestants to design a "practical" solar powered vehicle. This race requires that vehicles have four wheels and upright seating for passengers, and is judged on a number of factors including time, payload, passenger miles, and external energy use. The Dutch TU Eindhoven solar racing team were the inaugural Cruiser Class winner with their vehicle Stella.
American Solar Challenge
The American Solar Challenge, previously known as the 'North American Solar Challenge' and 'Sunrayce', features mostly collegiate teams racing in timed intervals in the United States and Canada. The annual Formula Sun Grand Prix track race is used as a qualifier for ASC. The American Solar Challenge was sponsored in part by several small sponsors. However, funding was cut near the end of 2005, and the NASC 2007 was cancelled. The North American solar racing community worked to find a solution, bringing in Toyota as a primary sponsor for a 2008 race. Toyota has since dropped the sponsorship. The last North American Solar Challenge was run 2016, from Brecksville, OH to Hot Springs, SD. The race was won by the University of Michigan. Michigan has won the race the last 6 times it has been held.
The Solar Car Challenge in Texas
The Solar Car Challenge is an annual event held in Texas wherein groups of typically high school students construct solar cars and then race them. The Challenge was created by Dr. Lehman Marks and draws teams from across the United States, such as Puerto Rico, as well as international participants from elsewhere in North America and the Caribbean, such as those from Costa Rica or Canada.
South African Solar Challenge
The South African Solar Challenge is a biennial, two-week solar-powered car race through the length and breadth of South Africa. The first challenge in 2008 proved that this event can attract the interest of the public, and that it has the necessary international backing from the FIA. Late in September, all entrants will take off from Pretoria and make their way to Cape Town, then drive along the coast to Durban, before climbing the escarpment on their way back to the finish line in Pretoria 11 days later. The event has (in both 2008 and 2010) been endorsed by International Solarcar Federation (ISF), Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), World Wildlife Fund (WWF) making it the first Solar Race to receive endorsement from these 3 organizations. The last race took place in 2016. Sasol confirmed their support of the South Africa Solar Challenge, by taking naming rights to the event, so that for the duration of their sponsorship, the event was known as the Sasol Solar Challenge, South Africa.
Carrera Solar Atacama The Carrera Solar Atacama is the first solar-powered car race of its kind in Latin America; the race covers 2,600 km (1,600 mi) from Santiago to Arica in the north of Chile. The race's founder, La Ruta Solar, claims it is the most extreme of the vehicular races due to the high levels of solar radiation, up to 8.5 kWh/m2/day, encountered while traversing the Atacama Desert, as well as challenging participating teams to climb 3,500 m (11,500 ft) above sea level. After the 2018 race, La Ruta Solar organized its next edition for 2020, but it never came to be. In the end of 2019, the organization struggled with funding and decided to cancel the race. A few months later they declared bankruptcy.
… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.
