American Solar Challenge 2010
The race to find the fastest solar car begins on 20 June 2010 in the USA. The American Solar Challenge 2010 is one of the largest solar motorsport races in North America. International teams from the USA, Taiwan, Canada and Germany will traverse a total of four US states over seven days, covering a distance of 1,100 miles (almost 2,000 kilometers).
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the American Solar Challenge. The regular event is being organized this year by the Innovators Educational Foundation, a non-profit organization that was established in fall 2009.
After the race kicks off on 20 June 2010 at Broken Arrow in the state of Oklahoma, 17 registered teams will spend seven days speeding through the geographical heartland of the United States. The teams will cover a total of 1,100 miles, passing through Kansas and Missouri on their way to the finish line in Naperville, a city outside Chicago. Throughout the week-long race, competitors will be put to the test by changing track conditions, including hill climbs, everyday traffic and unpredictable weather.
Exclusively for solar cars
All teams must pass road safety examinations and scrutineering to prove they comply with race regulations and are prepared for this particular on-road challenge. The team that completes the route in the shortest time is the winner.
Only solar cars are allowed to compete in the American Solar Challenge 2010, i.e. vehicles with solar cells that can generate their own clean energy from the sun’s rays. The cars are also fitted with batteries so that they can continue racing in the event of cloudy or stormy weather. The permitted maximum speed is 65 mph (approx. 105 km/h). Racers can use their vehicle’s solar cells to recharge the batteries, but only at certain times.
Altogether there will be 17 international teams competing this year. Bochum University, with their solar racer SolarWorld No. 1, is the only team representing Germany. The vehicle was developed by Bochum University, is sponsored by SolarWorld AG and this competition marks its second appearance in a North American race. When it debuted two years ago at the North American Solar Challenge the yellow speedster scored third place, and back then, the race was 4,000 kilometers long. The young Bochum team was also awarded a special engineering prize.
Many teams don’t even make it past the scrutineering
The future engineers from Bochum University have been in the States since the end of May, making last minute adjustments to the SolarWorld No 1. Unlike the World Solar Challenge in Australia, the technical scrutineering in the USA is extremely stringent. Many teams fail to pass this hurdle and are subsequently not allowed to compete.
The German crew have built on their experiences from the 2008 North American Solar Challenge and headed to the United States well-prepared. Plus the students had already put the SolarWorld No. 1 through its paces on a trial race track in Germany. The racer showed its worth by completing countless laps of the German Air Force airfield in Nörvenich, near Düren in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Participation in this year’s race in the USA was made possible with the support of German solar power company SolarWorld AG, sponsor of the SolarWorld No. 1 team.
For more information visit www.americansolarchallenge.org
