One team competing in The Sasol Solar Car Race is being given a distinct advantage.
The Tokai University Solar Team is being powered by the Panasonic-trademarked HIT™ solar battery system, which minimises power loss.
The 2016 Sasol Solar Car Race aims to set new records in distance and energy consumption with the ultimate team being the one that scores best in terms of average distance, time, lowest consumption and strategic use of battery power.
The Panasonic solar system will aid the drivers to set these new records with its advanced technology that helps conserve power.
Fourteen teams take part in The Sasol Solar Challenge which starts in Pretoria on 24 September and finishes in Cape Town on 1 October. The eight-day race will be taking teams through Kroonstad, Bloemfontein, Gariep Dam, Graaff-Reinet, Port Elizabeth, Sedgefield and Swellendam along the way. The race takes place on public roads which means that teams have to comply with normal road traffic rules and conditions.
Panasonic’s high-efficiency HIT™ Solar Modules and lithium-ion batteries are utilised in the Tokai University Solar Team’s car competing in this year’s Sasol Solar Challenge.
One of the longest races in solar car racing, the Sasol Solar Car Race’s main route is about 2 000km long, and while this would equate to an average of 250km per day, the teams have the option to expand their daily distance by driving loops, varying from 23km up to 74km. It is expected that the top teams will reach up to a total of 6 000km, covering at least 700km a day on average if it is sunny, at about 90 – 100km/h.
In supporting awareness of the race, Panasonic is running a national competition where followers stand a chance to win their share of R100 000 worth of Panasonic prizes. Fans can enter the competition by sharing their #MoreSunshine pictures on the Panasonic South Africa Facebook page.
There are three ways to take their pictures:
1. Go to a participating shopping centre (Sandton City until 26 September) and take a picture of their ‘sunshine moment’ in front of the Panasonic display.
2. Spot the Tokai University Solar Team Car on the road and take a picture next to the car.
3. Take a ‘sunshine selfie’ at home.
For more information visit: www.panasonic.com
More about the race
The Sasol Solar Challenge – one of the world’s longest courses in solar car racing – has been in existence since 2008 and takes place every two years. The aim of the challenge is to promote sustainable transportation while leading the way in the development of eco-conscious technology. Panasonic has been supporting the Tokai University Solar Car team since 2011 and the team has won the title in 2008, 2010 and 2012.
Last year the Tokai University Solar Car team competed at the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge where they crossed the finish line in third place. This Australian race, covering a distance of roughly 3 000km across the continent from Darwin in the north to Adelaide in the south, saw the participation of 43 university and corporate solar car teams from 25 countries and regions around the world.
Some of the Tokai University Solar Car team’s other victories include first place at the Carrera Solar Atacama 2014 in Chile, and first place at the World Solar Challenge in Australia in 2009 and 2011.
With a solar technology partner that has been an industry leader in the business for more than 40 years, the Tokai University Solar Car team has everything going for them. The car is equipped with 400 lithium-ion batteries, 65mm in length and with an 18mm diameter, almost the same as an AA battery. Any energy surplus is stored in the batteries for early morning or evening use.
