Belgian Solar Team holds firm and remains in the lead after mountain stage in South Africa

Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024 - The Innoptus Solar Team, KU Leuven's student team, was able to maintain its leadership position in the Sasol Solar Challenge today. Yesterday they took the lead after covering 100 kilometers more than their main competitors. Today a mountain stage was on the agenda. The Belgians were able to maintain their lead. The competition continues for two more days and tomorrow's route will not be announced until later tonight.

Leaders of the rankings

The Belgians were able to start first today after surprising their competitors yesterday and building a solid lead. The Leuven students finished 84 kilometers ahead of the team from Twente. The three top teams covered the same number of kilometers today, so the Belgians maintained their lead. It remains to be seen if the other teams have an ace up their sleeve.

Mountain stage

A mountain stage was on the program today. The engineering students climbed some steep hills with their solar car. During the descents, the solar car can recover energy by applying a “regenerative” braking system. This re-stores energy that would otherwise be lost in the battery. This energy came in handy today. Due to the cloud cover, less solar energy was available which made the stage even more challenging.

Outlook

The competition continues for two more days. Tomorrow's route will not be announced until later tonight. This way the teams will be extra challenged. Because of the unknown route, no estimate can be made in advance of the energy consumption during this stage. Thus, difficult, last-minute strategic decisions will have to be made. In addition, the teams may also lose time due to unexpected heavy traffic and road works. Good cooperation within the team will be crucial tomorrow to ensure that the solar car does not have to stop because of this.