Innoptus Solar Team in second place halfway through South African solar challenge

Ranking

The Innoptus Solar Team started the day in first position. Yesterday they managed to set a new record: the students were able to cover 672.9 kilometers in one day. Never before in the history of the competition did a team manage to cover so many kilometers in one day. This achievement put the Leuven students in the lead.

The team from Twente chose a different strategy today and was able to cover one extra loop. This put them in the lead with a 16-kilometer lead. The challenge is only halfway through and the Belgians have confidence in their car and the team. The next few days will be crucial.

Halfway

During the Sasol Solar Challenge, strategic choices must be made every day. The competition is won by the team that has covered the most kilometers after eight days. For this purpose, loops have been built into the route. The participants themselves choose how often they travel which loop. The next four days will reveal which team chose the right strategy and made the best solar car.

The three top teams (the team from Twente, the team from Delft and the Leuven team) are evenly matched. The difference between the top three is currently about 30 kilometers out of a total distance covered of more than 2000 km.

STEM

Promoting STEM is a common goal of the Sasol Solar Challenge and the Innoptus Solar Team. For this purpose, the organization of the competition invites local schools to a place where the solar cars stop several times. Here, the students had time to show local high school students their solar car and hand out some gadgets. The team members thus hope to inspire students and show them the possibilities of technology and renewable energy.