Eight local and four international teams participating in the Sasol Solar Challenge 2012 have just two weeks to complete 5400km across some of South Africa's most demanding landscapes.
The futuristic looking cars, covered in solar panels and built by the team members, set off at 8am on Tuesday from the CSIR campus in Pretoria, with just 10 hours to reach their next destination in Vryburg, North West.
The cars were gridded for the start according to their speed, which was determined at the Zwartkop circuit on Monday.
Team Tokai, the current world champions from Japan, qualified on pole, ahead of the team from the North West University with the University of Johannesburg third.
Among the teams were the Tshwane University of Technology with their car, Fire of the Dawn.
Sasol's Winstone Jordaan said for the next four days the teams would travel through Rustenburg, Lichtenburg, Vryburg, Upington and Springbok and stop in Cape Town where they would take a day's break.
The teams would then leave Cape Town and make their way through Worcester, Montagu, Barrydale, Calitzdorp, Oudshoorn, Aliwal North, Dundee and eMalahleni (Witbank), among others, before reaching their final destination in Pretoria.
The uniquely designed cars caught the attention of dozens of spectators, as well as deputy minister of science and technology Derek Hanekom, who said he would love to buy a “little two-seater” for his wife and himself.
“Many people who sail use the power of the wind. Why can't I use the power of the sun to cruise through the Karoo?” he asked.
Sasol chief safety officer Clen Cook said that each car was thoroughly tested before the race.
He said Motorsport SA technical advisers assisted with checking of equipment, brakes and speed.
“On Sunday we checked the equipment of each car.”
“ On Monday the cars were tested at the Zwartkop Raceway and the speed of each car determined after a few laps.
“We also did a brake test to determine if the cars can brake in time at high speed, a handling test and a minimum speed test.
The cars have to average a minimum of 40km/h around the track and we check that they turn and swerve at high speed,” Cook said.
He said an 18-40 page safety document was also handed to each driver and they were taken through safety instructions.
“They've been taught what to do should there be a chemical spill as well as what to do in the event of an accident,” he said.
Cook said each car had to demonstrate how the solar panel positioned in the front would be deflected should it be in an accident.
“This is very important as the panel is in line with the driver's head and could be very dangerous in the event of a crash. Some of the cars even have a roll-cage to push the panels upwards and over the driver in the event of an accident,” he said.
The Solar Challenge is run every two years and international teams participate every time. Cook said that this year, for the first time, a private team, Kenjiro Shinozuka, was competing in a car they'd bought from team Tokai who won the race in 2010. EV Drive (Electronic Vehicle) also entered one of their electric sports cars for the first time this year. - Pretoria News
SOLAR CHALLENGE 2O12 ROUTE:
Tuesday 18 September: START - CSIR Campus, Pretoria.
Tuesday 18 September: Vryburg.
Wednesday 19 September: Upington.
Thursday 20 September: Springbok.
Friday 21 September: Cape Town.
Saturday 22 September: Rest Day.
Sunday 23 September: Oudtshoorn.
Monday 24 September: East London.
Tuesday 25 September: Bloemfontein.
Wednesday 26 September: Pietermaritzburg.
Thursday 27 September: Secunda.
Friday 28 September: FINISH - CSIR Campus, Pretoria.