The Sasol Solar Challenge 2016 comprising 14 teams, eight local and six international, will commence the eight-day event at the CSIR Pretoria campus on 24 September and conclude in Cape Town at the V&A Waterfront on 1 October 2016. CSIR scientists have again been asked to conduct inspections of the participating solar-powered vehicles. The following CSIR colleagues will take on the role of Sasol Solar Challenge “scrutineers” this year: Tumelo Motloutsi (software engineer); Asanda Mbizeni, Sipho Xungu and Lwando Notununu (mechanical engineers); Mihlali Tapi (electrical engineer); Shakes Nonjola (battery specialist); and Funeka Nkosi (chemist and battery specialist).

More about the event

The Sasol Solar Challenge teams will cover a distance of 2 000 km of varying road conditions. Each of the eight stages is around 260 km and the winning team is the one that completes the most kilometres in total. The 2016 Sasol Solar Challenge will feature five separate classes of competition: The Olympia Class and Challenger Class are for newly-built, four-wheeler solar electric vehicles. The Adventure Class is reserved for pre-2016 event vehicles, typically three-wheelers. The Cruiser Class is designed for practicality, and the Sustainability Fleet is designed to provide a forum to further demonstrate advanced technologies in personal transport opportunities.

The challenge is a biennial competition, which gives South African and international university students in the disciplines of science, engineering and technology an opportunity to showcase their ingenuity by designing world-class solar-powered vehicles.