The 10 solar powered cars, built by teams from universities around the world, taking part in the 2014 edition of the Sasol Solar Challenge crossed the finishing line in Cape Town on the 4th of October, ending a gruelling eight-day journey that started in Pretoria and spanned some 2000 kilometres.
The overall winner of the event was the Netherlands’ Delft University’s Nuon Solar Team, following its dominance right from the word go. Including the optional daily loops completed by the team, its car covered an impressive total distance of 4227 km, nearly 1500 km more than its closest competitor. It also broke the record for the furthest distance covered in the event in a single day with the 680 km it managed on day two.
The top placed South African entrant was Team UKZN in third (2418 km covered), just behind the Anadolu Solar Team from Turkey (2733 km). Team UKZN also secured the record for the furthest distance travelled and the furthest distance covered in a single day by a South African team. Hot on UKZN’s bumper, in fourth position, was North West University with a total distance of 2360 km travelled.
Sasol Solar Challenge director, Winstone Jordaan, paid a special mention to the University of Johannesburg (UJ) team, which placed fifth and received the technology and innovation award. “This team took brave steps to rather build a smaller car with more technologically advanced solar panels,” he noted. “While they had their share of challenges, we applaud the bravery and initiative taken to put this technology to the test.”
Maragon Private School held its own against participating university teams. Breaking the record for the furthest distance travelled by a high school, the team came in sixth place with a total distance of 1268 km – three times further than the previous Sasol Solar Challenge high school team record.
This year’s event also incorporated an education programme involving nearly 200 schools on the route. Learners received an education kit which explained how solar powered vehicles work, together with materials that enabled them to build their own model solar car. Activations at towns along the route were used as a platform for primary school learners to experience the fun side of solar energy, seeing its application in the real world.
Sasol’s senior vice president for public and regulatory affairs, Wrenelle Stander, said “We believe it is important for South Africa to be part of developing future technologies to benefit the world over. While the purpose of the event is to promote research into sustainable transport and showcase technologies, our underlying goal is to use the event to spark the interest of young people and particularly school learners in key educational subjects.
“By showing learners how the application of mathematics and science can be fun and involving, we aim to dispel the notion that these subjects are difficult and boring but that they in fact open endless exciting possibilities for their future.”
Jordaan explained that the aim of the Sasol Solar Challenge is for teams to not only develop new technologies but to collaborate and teach each other. “Teams are getting better and better each time. With more exposure to such events, we believe that South African teams will continue to push boundaries by developing solar cars that can compete on an international level.”
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