Chemical Technology October 2016

INNOVATION ETCETERA

Solar cars cross the finish line as records tumble

during track testing just before the Challenge began. But the 28-member team worked long hours, beating two international and four South African teams on the event.   Another incredible achievement on the 2016 Sasol Solar Challenge was celebrated when high school team Maragon Olympus crossed the finish line in seventh place narrowly beating the University of Johannesburg. For the Sasol Solar Challenge, a new record has been set, and teams are already planning their return in 2018 to improve on today’s achievement. The Sasol Solar Challenge director, Winstone Jordaan, said that this has been the most competitive event to date. The 2016 Sasol Solar Challenge is sponsored by Sasol as a vehicle of inspiration to young South Africans to become the country’s future engineers and scientists. For more information contact Anzet du Plessis on tel: 0835572322; or email Anzet@proofafrica.co.za

to us,” continued Bennink Bolt. “We had to work incredibly hard to beat them – they came out strong this year.” With new regulations set for the global competition, all the teams will use the South African event to build completely new vehicles for the 2017 challenge in Australia, which is shorter than the Sasol Solar Challenge. In South Africa, five teams held their own against the tough international competition. North-West University came in fourth position with 3 524 km under their belt, and high school team Maragon Olympus managed to beat the University of Johannesburg by just 40 km. “We are very proud of the fact that Sirius x25, the NWU solar car, travelled through the whole of South Africa without ever once being put on a trailer,” said Jimmy Pressly from the NWU team. “The competition was great, and representing South Africa like this was a privilege. We plan on keeping the flag flying high by competing in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in 2017 with a brand new, better car.” North-West University had to work hard to come back from an accident

The V&A Waterfront in Cape Town was the scene of celebration on the 1st of October 2016 as 11 teams from all over the world crossed the finish line after successfully driving just over 27 000 km collectively on public roads on solar power alone. Dutch team Nuon won the Chal- lenger class after completing 4 716 km, breaking the four-year old record of 4 630 km and beating Japanese team Tokai by 172 km. “We’re really excited – we already started celebrating in traffic as we came into Cape Town when we suddenly realised that we’d won. The team that is here has been working on the car for years, so they were very emotional,” said Sarah Bennink Bolt from the Nuon team. The Dutch team had to have a per- fect day today to stay ahead of strong competitor Tokai, who set the record in 2012 and won the World Solar Challenge on numerous occasions in the past. “Tokai was really good last year in Australia at the World Solar Challenge, and while a lot of people thought we were a shoe-in for the Sasol Solar Chal- lenge in South Africa, it wasn’t obvious

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Chemical Technology • October 2016