Solar car racing
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. 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 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 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 been endorsed by International Solarcar Federation, Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, World Wildlife Fund 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 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 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.Other races
- Electric-Solar Vehicle Championship], India, an event for Junior level, Engineers and 3000 KM Solar Challenge for all India.
- Formula-G, a yearly track race in Turkey.
- , a yearly track race in India.
- Suzuka, a yearly track race in Japan.
- World Green Challenge, a yearly track race in Japan.
- Phaethon, part of the Cultural Olympiad in Greece prior to the 2004 Olympics.
- World Solar Rally in Taiwan.
Solar drag races
Model and educational solar races
Solar vehicle technology can be applied on a small scale, which makes it ideal for educational purposes in the STEM areas. Some events are:Model Solar Vehicle Challenge Victoria
The Victorian Model Solar Vehicle Challenge is an engineering competition undertaken by students across Victoria, year 1 to Year 12. Students design and construct their own vehicle, be it a car or boat. This event is currently held at ScienceWorks in October each year. The first event was held in 1986. The goal of the challenge is to provide students with an experience of what it is like to work in STEM and to understand what can be achieved with renewable technology.[Junior Solar Sprint]
Junior Solar Sprint was created in the 1980s by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to teach younger children about the importance and challenges of using renewable energy. The project also teaches students how the engineering process is applied, and how solar panels, transmission, and aerodynamics can be used in practice.Speed records
Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA)
The FIA recognise a land speed record for vehicles powered only by solar panels. The current record was set by the Solar Team Twente, of the University of Twente with their car SolUTra. The record of 37.757 km/h was set in 2005. The record takes place over a flying 1000m run, and is the average speed of 2 runs in opposite directions.In July, 2014, a group of Australian students from the UNSW Sunswift solar racing team at the University of New South Wales broke a world record in their solar car, for the fastest electric car weighing less than and capable of travelling on a single battery charge. This particular record was overseen by the Confederation of Australian Motorsport on behalf of the FIA and is not exclusive to solar-powered cars but to any electric car, and so during the attempt, the solar panels were disconnected from the electrical systems. The previous record of - which had been set in 1988 - was broken by the team with an average speed of over the distance.
Guinness world record
recognize a land speed record for vehicles powered only by solar panels. This record is currently held by the University of New South Wales with the car Sunswift IV. Its battery was removed so the vehicle was powered only by its solar panels. The record of was set on 7 January 2011 at the naval air base in Nowra, breaking the record previously held by the General Motors car Sunraycer of. The record takes place over a flying stretch, and is the average of two runs in opposite directions.Miscellaneous records
Australian Transcontinental (Perth to Sydney) Speed Record
The Perth to Sydney Transcontinental record has held a certain allure in Solar Car Racing. Hans Tholstrup first completed this journey in The Quiet Achiever in under 20 days in 1983. This vehicle is in the collection of the National Museum of Australia in Canberra.The record was beaten by Dick Smith and the Aurora Solar Vehicle Association racing in the Aurora Q1
The current record was set in 2007 by the UNSW Solar Racing Team with their car ''Sunswift III mk2''