Race day 6 of the Solar Challenge

Day 6 (race day 5) results

The results from day 5 (travelling 410 km from Cape Town via Worcester and Montagu to Oudtshoorn) is posted below.  From these results it is clear that our Turbine Hybrid vehicle is doing reasonably good, the Solar car is doing OK, but that the hydrogen car is not doing to good at all.  I contacted those on tour and determine that there is a couple of issues at hand:

• The turbine hybrid is currently running off the petrol generator.  One can argue that it is effectively a normal car, but the team is looking at sorting out the various aspects of this technology demonstration vehicle.  The are currently aiming to get the maximum amount of kilometers on the road and then stop to do the turbine conversion.  This conversion will take a significant amount of time.  So, keep your eye on them.
• The hydrogen car is struggling at the moment, but struggling is not necessarily bad as we are learning a couple of things.  There is a problem with the hydrogen gas regulator that causes the regulator and the gas to freeze up.  This is something that is difficult to sort out on the road and with the two hybrid cars sharing the same technical support team, it becomes even more difficult.  However, this is what the race is all about: sorting the issues with the technology demonstrators.
• The solar cars is struggling a bit with the weather.  It has been raining a lot over the last 3 days with the cars therefore seeing very little of the sun, which one would expect to result in the cars not being able to operate, but some of the teams are still getting good kilometers under the belt.  From this we are learning that, with the best electrical motors, the best batteries and the best solar cells, we are still not going to outperfom the other teams if our car is too heavy.  It is the power-to-weight ratio that is the governing factor.  It therefore seems like our car could be too heavy, but once again it is important to realize that this is a learning experience and that the end of this race will bring much clarity as to the governing parameters for building solar vehicles.  Remember that, although we took part in the previous race, this is our first solar vehicle, so we are also still learning.

Day 6 (day 5 on the road) video highlights

Day 4 results

Day 4 video highlights

Day four - day of CHAOS

Day four of the SASC can only be described as chaotic, our support truck was in a serious accident with one driver being sent off to hospital leaving the truck unusable for the rest of the trip. Our thoughts go out to the driver. Further one of our Suzuki chase cars also suffered the wrath of a tow bar in Vanrhynsdorp. And during the rest of the rain filled journey a guinea fowl discovered that it isn't wise to stay in the way of speeding vehicles. The day concluded at Canal Walk as the Solar Team got lost in the parking lot with the entire support crew scouring Canal Walk to find the car to help them to the finish. It was necessary to dismantle and boom gate the bring the car to the finish. Day five was a very welcome day off!

SASC - Day Four - Photos