SASOL SOUTH AFRICAN SOLAR CHALLENGE

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Sasol has officially announced its support as the title sponsor of this year’s Solar Challenge event. Cavan Hill, Sasol’s general manager - new energy, said that the firm is proud to be part of this environmentally friendly challenge as Sasol is already investing heavily in other renewable or eco-friendly projects.

 

SASOL company logo animation

 

The South African Solar Challenge is an alternative fuel vehicle auto racing challenge in South Africa, with classes for hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, solar vehicles, and biofuel-powered vehicles. The first challenge was run in 2008, and it will run every two years thereafter. The race distance is over 4,100 km (2,500 mi). The challenge route may change from year to year, but it is planned to run from Johannesburg to Cape Town to Durban and finish in Pretoria.

OBJECTIVE

The primary objective is to design, manage, build and race solar powered-vehicles across South Africa. The challenge sees a collaboration between scholars, students, private individuals and various industry and government partners, to work together to have a safe, technology-rich event.


The race promotes:

  • Renewable energy technologies (specifically photovoltaic/solar cell technology)
    Educational excellence in science, engineering, and mathematics

  • Creative integration of technical and scientific expertise across a wide range of disciplines.

  • Understanding of marketing, business and management skills needed to execute large and complex projects.

  • Hands-on experience for students and engineers to develop and demonstrate their technical and creative abilities.

 

 


Environmental consciousness


Safety in all aspects of the challenge, development, testing and racing.
Sportsmanship, friendship and co-operation.

2012


This is the third time that this FIA-approved, bi-annual challenge will be held in South Africa but this time Sasol is hoping to raise the awareness and profile of the event. This is an ideal opportunity for schools, universities and industry to get involved with advancements in solar energy technology while stimulating the engineering minds of the future.

CLASSES

Sasol has tried to widen the entry criteria to maximise the number of entries. Some of the classes are stipulated by governing bodies like the FIA but others encourage students and industry to participate without the need for access to huge budgets. Four classes will be eligible to enter the race namely:

Olympia Class

• Conforms to the constraints of the FIA Regulations, this is the primary class in the Sasol Solar Challenge in South Africa, it represents the move to more road capable vehicles;
• Four wheelers only;
• 6 m2 maximum solar array;
• Lights required;
• Reverse gear required.

Challenge Class

• Primary Class in the World Solar Challenge in Australia;
• 6 m2 maximum solar array;
• Three wheels allowed;
• Less strict on braking and electric wiring requirements than the Olympia class.

Adventure Class

• For teams not interested in competitive racing but rather the experience;
• 8 m2 maximum solar array allowed to enable heavier, less aerodynamic cars to finish event.

Technology Class (Green Fleet)

• Any technology vehicle, including production cars, solar, hybrids, electric, fuel cells, any low emission vehicles, etc.;
• Technology demonstration only, no racing;
• This is an Eco Class to show the most efficient technology that is currently available on the roads.


ROUTE

The cars will complete a total of 5 000 km around the country. Each day will be treated as a separate stage. The route will start and finish in Pretoria and include major cities such as Cape Town, Bloemfontein and Durban.

Engineering

Each solar car combines most of the engineering disciplines and consists of the following:

• Chassis including steering, braking and suspension;
• Body including the solar array;
• Powertrain including electric drive, batteries, controllers etc.

The idea is to build the most efficient vehicle possible. As each vehicle has access to the same power source, the sun, the most efficient vehicle will be able to cover the distance at the highest average speed. Battery capacity is capped at approximately 5 kW.hr.

Strategy

Each solar racecar will have a lead and chase vehicle with radio contact for safety reasons. The chase car is also used as a basis by engineers to monitor the telemetry (battery conditions, charging rates, vehicle speed etc.) coming from the vehicle in real time. The typography of the route plays a major role as down hills can be used to charge the batteries (regenerative braking) and increase the average speeds on level roads. Obviously, enough energy needs to be available in the battery before tackling an uphill section to prevent the car grinding to a halt. Think Formula One team next to the pit straight and you have an idea.

The Race

The cars may start the race with a full battery for the first stage. After this no external energy source except the sun will be allowed to provide energy. After each stage the vehicles will be prevented from receiving further energy from the sun or other sources. The solar car finishing the stage first will be declared the winner.

Summary

South Africa needs technology show cases like the Sasol Solar Challenge to encourage students to become interested in engineering. The industry is also likely to benefit from any new developments in solar technology and efficiency sprouting from this challenge. Let’s hope the sun shines on all the participating teams!

 

 

CONTACTS

 

SA Solar Challenge
Pretoria Office
First Floor, Innovation Centre
Mark Shuttleworth Street
Persequor
Pretoria,
Gauteng,
0020
South Africa

Land Phone : +27 12 844 0971
Mobile Phone : +27 83 284 7747

E-mail : winstone@solarchallenge.org.za

Winstone Jordaan

 

 

LINKS

 

 http://www.solarchallenge.org.za

 

 

 


 

 

SOLAR CAR RACING EVENT A - Z

 

 

 

 

 

A dream can make all the difference under the sun - when a bunch of high school misfits in Hawaii, introduced by their new teacher (Halle Berry), attend a science fair in which they draw up inspiration to build their own solar car and win a trip to compete in the 1990 World Solar Challenge in Australia. One of my favourites NK

 

 

 

The teams below are either established, or considering competing in any of the attractions above.  Please click on the hyperlinks for more information.  Remember, it's not the winning that matters, it's taking part.  Whatever car or result your team produces, simply taking part will be rewarding in terms of learning, achievement and fun.

 

 

SOLAR CAR TEAMS

 

ORGANISATION A-Z

CAR'S NAME

TEAM NAME

Aristotle Uni of Thessaloniki, Helios

Helios

Faculty of Engineering

Arizona Solar Racing Team - USA

Arizona Solar Racing Team

Ashiya University - Japan

Sky Ace TIGA

Solar Car Project

Auburn University

Sol of Auburn

Sol of Auburn

Aurora Team, Australia

Aurora

Aurora Vehicle Association

Bochum Solar Car Team

Das SolarCar der Fachhochschule

California Poly S University

SLO Burn  Sidewinder

San Luis Obispo

Cambridge University

Eco Racing Team

Clarkson Uni Solar Car Team, USA

The Solar Knights

Delft University - Holland

NUNA I & II 2003

Dell Winston School

The Hunter

Solar Car Challenge

Desert Rose, Northern Territory Uni

FUJI DESERT ROSE

Drexel SunDragon Home Page

Durham University

Solar Car Racing Team

École de technologie supérieure Quebec

Eclipse V (5)

Éclipse Vehicular Solaire 

École Polytechnique de Montréal

Esteban

Eko-Auto  Poland

Eko-Auto

Electron Analytic Corporation

Dark Horse

EAC Skunkworks

George Washington University

George Washington Uni Solar Car

Georgia Institute of Technology

Solar Jackets

Solar Jackets

GWAWR Cymru solar car

Solar Car Wales.co.uk

Heliodet, Germany

Heliodet

Heliodet, Solar Car Team

Helios - Lille, France

Hélios IV

Hautes Etudes d'Ingénieur

Heliox Solar Car Team

Héliox

Dominic de Vries

Honda Car Company

Honda

Illinois State University

Surya, Ratha, Mercury

Illinois State University Team

Iowa State University

Fusion

Team PrISUm

Jonasun  Japan

Orbit

Solar Car Paviion

Kansas State University

Paragon

Solar Car Racing Team

K-Con

Solar Wing

Los Altos Academy of Engineering

Los Altos Solar Car Team

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Tesseract

MIT

McGill University Monteal, Canada

iSun

Team iSun

McMaster University

Phoenix

McMaster Uni Solar Car Project

Messiah College Grantham, Penns

Genesis II

Genesis II Solar Racing Team

Michigan State University

 

Solar Racing Team

Michigan Technological University

Solar Car Team

Minnesota S Uni-Mankato/Winona S Uni

Minnesota Solar Car Team

North Dakota State University

The Double Deuce

Sunsetters - Solar Race Team

Northwestern University

N'Uvation

Northwestern University

Nuon Solar Team, Netherlands

Nuon 3

Het Nuon Solar Team

Osaka Sangyo University, Japan

OSU model S

Solar Car Team

Prairie View A&M University

Solaris

Sun Panthers

Principia College

RA 6

Principia College Solar Car Team

Purdue University

SPOT 2

Purdue University Solar Racing

Queen's University Canada

Radiance  Gemini

Queen's Solar Vehicle Team

Red River College 

Red River Raycer

Red River College Solar Car Team

Rice University

Rice University

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Rose-Hulman Solar Car Team

Southern Illinois Uni Edwardsville

Cougar Cruiser

Southern Illinois University

South Bank University, UK

Mad Dog

South Bank Mad Dog Team

South Dakota School Mines & Tech

Solar Motion

South Dakota Solar Motion Team

Southern Taiwan University Tech

Southern Taiwan Solar Team

Stanford University

Solstice

Stanford Solar Car Project

Tamagawa University - Japan

Tamagawa Solar Challenge Project

Team Futura, Italy

FUTURA 2

Team Futura

Team Solaris

 Solaris 1 & 2

Dokuz Eylül & Ege University

Team SunLake - Japan

Phaethon model

Team SunLake TOYOBO

Texas A&M University

Columbia Sunraycer

Texas A&M Motorsports Team

The Power of One  - Toronto

Xof1

The Xof1 solar car team

Tufts University

ANNE E. B. II

Nerd Girls

University of Alberta

University of Alberta Team

University of Arizona

Drifter

Solar Racing Team

University of Calgary

 

UC Calgary Solar Car Team

University of California-Berkeley

CalSol 

California Calsol Team

University of Delhi

Project Solaris 

University of Johannesburg

Ilanga II

UK Solar Car website

University of Kansas

Solution, CATalyst

KSU Solar Car Racing Team

University of Kentucky

Gato del Sol II

Solar Car Team

University of Massachusetts 

Spirit of Mass 413

Lowell Solar Racing Team

University of Michigan

Momentum

University of Michigan

University of Minnesota

Borealis III

U of M Solar Vehicle Project

University of Missouri Columbia

Suntiger VI

The Mizzou Solar Car Project

University of Missouri Rolla

Solar Miner V

Solar Minor Car Team 

University of North Dakota

Subzero 3

Team SubZero

University of Ontario Institute of Tech

UOI Solar Vehicle Team

Uni of New South Wales SCR Team

UNSW Sunswift III

New South Wales SCR Team

University of Patras, Hermes

Solar Car Team

University of Pennsylvania

Keystone

Penn Solar Racing

University of Queensland

Sunshark

Queensland Solar Team

University of South Australia

Ned  KELLY

SA Solar Car Consortium

University of Tehran

Persian Gazelle

Persia-Gazelle.com

University of Texas at Austin

Solar Steer

Solar Vehicles Team

University of Texas at El Paso

 

Solraycers

University of Toronto

Blue Sky

Blue Sky Solar Racing

University of Toulouse

Heliotrope

Heliotrope Solar Car Team

University of Utah 

 

Vehicle Design Team Utah

University of Virginia

 

UVa Solar Car Team

University of Waterloo

Midnight Sun VIII

Midnight Sun Solar Race Team

University of Western Ontario

Sunstang

Sunstang USP Solar Car Team

USP Solar Car Team

USP Solar Car Team

Western Michigan University

Sunseeker 05

W Michigan Solar Car Team

Yale University

The John Lee

Team Lux

 

 

IF YOUR TEAM OR EVENT IS NOT LISTED HERE,  PLEASE CONTACT US.

 

 

1. Chassis - and seating

2. Mechanics - suspension, steering, brakes

3. Motor and drive train

4. Motor controller

5. Solar Array - usually part of body

6. Batteries or fuel cells

7. Electrical System - and instruments

8. Driver Controls - switches, lighting, etc

9. Bodywork - Screen, etc

 

 

Rainbow line

 

Solar Cola for safer Solar car racing drivers

 

Planet Earth Solar Cola can 330 mil

 

330ml Earth can - the World in Your Hand

 

 

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