Sasol Solar Challenge 2014 of South Africa
Dear Friends, Visitors/Viewers/Readers,
(Please click on red links and note magenta)
Did you know about Sasol Solar Challenge 2014 in South Africa? It will be taking place starting from Pretoria on September 27, 2014,
Pretoria, South Africa (credit: Google Map)
to Cape Town on October 4, 2014.
Cape Town, South Africa from Table Mountain (CC BY-SA 3.0 Andres de Wet-Own work)
During this eight day period, the challenge will also go through Kroonstad, Bloemfontein, Colesberg, Graaff-Reinet, Port Elizabeth, Knysna, and Swellendam. The main route will span approximately 2000km through the country, covering an average distance of 250km a day. Teams will have the option to expand their daily distance by driving loops varying from 58km up to 132km. Loops can be driven more than once and have to be completed entirely in order to count. Towns that are included by these loops are Sasolburg, Deneysville, Winburg, Senekal, Marqueard, Edenburg, Reddersburg, Hanover, Jansenville, Klipplaat, Stormsrivier, Heidelberg WC, Witsand and Caledon. It is expected that the top teams will reach a total of 6000km, covering at least 700km a day on average. To get a feel for Sasol Solar Challenge 2014, take a look at the video below:
Below is provided by Article solarracing.org on Sasol Solar Challenge (from Annalie Van Vuuren, Project/Event Manager), in italics:
Why SA is suitable for a solar race
An average of 300 days of sunshine per year and a unique South African terrain will put solar technology to the ultimate test. Traveling from the high inland plateau down to the mountainous escarpments and finally to the narrow coastal zone. Founder of the Sasol Solar Challenge Winstone Jordaan had the idea of building an electric car in 2003. After visiting the World Solar Challenge in 2005 he realized that people in South Africa did not possess basic knowledge about electric cars. He was impressed by the 1400 skilled students from all over the world in Australia, and could only imagine how much knowledge South Africa would be able to gain when hosting a solar challenge as well. This knowledge will result in accomplishing the ultimate goal; an improved future for South Africa.
Mission and vision SASC
Our eco-efficiency challenge allows teams from around the world to congregate in South Africa to participate and demonstrate the sophistication and performance of solar-powered vehicles. The underlining mission of the solar challenge is to increase the number of people in South Africa that are interested in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects. These subjects are crucial to get the country to a higher level.
Next, it will give us a platform where we can exercise our skills in building cars locally. This in turn will result in an increased level of knowledge in the industry about electric motors, battery systems, vehicle aerodynamics and more. Finally, the solar cars will show the public what solar panels can do. If people see solar panels driving a car, you will have a positive sentiment to it. Being more positive to this technology will also make electric vehicles more acceptable to people.
The Sasol Solar Challenge operates under the auspices of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and Motorsport South Africa. The race has four different classes. These classes include the Olympia Class, the Adventure Class, the Cruiser Class and the Sustainability Fleet.
- Olympia class is the primary FIA class and the main competitive class for solar-electric vehicles. These cars have to be four wheelers and are not allowed to recharge via plug-in.
- Adventure Class is reserved for any other solar-electric vehicles that have been allowed in any previous international solar challenges or other major events, but do not necessarily conform to the Olympia Class regulation. Again, no plug-in recharging is allowed.
- Cruiser Class is designed primarily for practicality and can carry two or more occupants. The vehicles in this class are allowed to plug-in recharge overnight.
- Sustainability fleet: To provide a forum to further demonstrate advanced technologies in personal transport applications. Many of the participants here are from the formal motor industry. These vehicles are allowed to re-charge midway and overnight.
History
2008
The main objective of the first race was to run it no matter what. In the past there have been two attempts to run a race in South Africa, however, both got cancelled at the last minute. This resulted in both national and internal teams being reluctant to take part in the event in 2008. Fortunately, we managed to get …. teams competing in the first South African Solar Challenge. Tokai was one of the teams competing in South Africa. Back then they competed with an eleven year-old car they built, with which they were able to win the race. The Japanese team leveraged massively from the victory in South Africa. It enabled them to receive sponsorships and build a new car to compete with in the World Solar Challenge, and ultimately win the Australian race.
2010
The second edition of the solar challenge included a 4 100 km route and five teams competing. The focus of this race was on recognition, compliance and alignment with the FIA. The biggest turning point is in this race that we had the first local university competing in the event. The route stretched from Pretoria down to Cape Town, going back to Pretoria via the southern- and west coast.
2012
The aim of the 2012 event was to get more local teams participating, especially universities. A total of twelve teams competed in the third edition of the South African Solar Challenge. Half the teams competing were local teams.
2014 event
The aim of the 2014 Sasol Solar Challenge is to get more oversees teams competing in the race. The challenge will start in Pretoria on September 27th
through Kroonstad, Bloemfontein, Colesberg, Graaff-Reinet, Port Elizabeth, Knysna and Swellendam. The main route will span approximately 2000km through the country, covering an average distance of 250km a day. Teams will have the option to expand their daily distance, by driving loops varying from 58km up to 132km. Loops can be driven more than once and have to be completed entirely in order to count. Towns that are included by these loops are Sasolburg, Deneysville, Winburg, Senekal, Marqueard, Edenburg, Reddersburg, Hanover, Jansenville, Klipplaat, Stormsrivier, Heidelberg WC, Witsand and Caledon. It is expected that the top teams will reach a total of 6000km, covering at least 700km a day on average.
Education program
Every town the solar challenge passes, a number of schools will get involved through the education program. This education program will entail an education kit which explains how solar-powered vehicles work and material that enables them to build their own solar car. The body of the solar car will be made from recycled material. At the finish of each day, the schools will have a miniature solar car race. Furthermore, we will strongly encourage any school to visit the race, since children are very impressed by the appearance of solar cars. This will give them the opportunity to see what a solar car looks like inside and enable them to interact with the teams that compete in the race.
Closing
We are looking forward to the 2014 Sasol Solar Challenge event. South Africa is looking forward to welcome all competitors, officials, volunteers and prospectors to the race. It is still possible for teams to join our competition, the deadline for registration is the ….. Apart from competitors, the solar challenge also needs volunteers on the race, the deadline is … See the links below for the volunteer form if you are interested to join our event.
Links of interest
Official website: http://www.solarchallenge.org.za
Link to registration and regulation documents: www.solarchallenge.org.za/index.php/documentation
Twitter: @Solar_Challenge
Facebook: SA Solar Challenge
Instagram: @SASolarChallenge
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It will be an amazing race! So come to South Africa and see the beautiful terrain during the Sasol Solar Challenge event!
~have a bright and sunny day~
Gathered, written, and posted by sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker
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Tags: Adventure Class, Bloemfontein, Caledon, Cape Town, Colesberg, cruiser Class, Deneysville, Edenburg, Federation Internationale de l'Automobile, Graaff-Reinet, Heidelberg, Jansenville, Klipplaat, Knysna, Kroonstad, Marqueard, Motorsport South Africa, Olympia Class, Pretoria, Reddersburg, Sasol, Sasolburg, Senekal, Solar Challenge, Southwest Research Institute, special report, Stormsrivier, Sun Is The Future, sunisthefuture, sunisthefuture.net, susan sun nunamaker, Sustainability Fleet, Swellendam, UK Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, water wind solar, Winstone Jordaan, Witsand