2010 European Solar Challenge (Sept 25-26)

[Agent 47]

European Solar Challenge

Sept 25-26, 2010, Wiemesmeer (near Genk), Belgium

The European Solar Challenge is a new solar event, a part of the Nature For Life event, organized by the Rotary Club, Genk. On Saturday the 25th, a promotional tour is held throughout a number of cities in Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands, and then on Sunday the 26th, the Challenge itself is held.

The Challenge consists of four categories:

a) 1 km drag-race
b) scrutineering test (including slalom/braking test)
c) parking test, and
d) 4 km track drive at fixed speed.

This all takes place at the Zutendaal Air Base.

Program

The European Solar Challenge is to be held on Saturday the 25th, and Sunday the 26th of September 2010. The preliminary program is the following:

Saturday 25th of September

All the participating teams will take their car to showcase it in a promo-tour around the following cities:

* Genk, Hasselt, Bilzen
* Antwerp, Brussels
* Maasmechelen, Maaseik
* Roermond, Weert
* Maastricht, Heerlen, Sittard-Geleen
* Aachen, Düsseldorf

After the promo-tour, the cars and teams will meet again at the Stadsplein Genk around 16h00 for a display until 17h30 after which the cars will drive under police escort through Genk and to the air base of Zutendaal.

Sunday 26th of September

Together with the Nature For Life event, the European Solar Challenge will take place on the air base of Zutendaal, Wiemesmeer (near Genk). The program for this day is the following:

* 10h00-13h00: Start of the event: all cars will be displayed. Visitors can choose their favourite design.
Scrutineering: Technical control of every car
* 13h30-17h00: Start of the challenge with these categories:
o Slalom: A slalom has to be driven by all teams, they start at 50km/h and have to arrive as close as possible to a speed of 50km/h.
o Breaking test: immediately after the slalom, a braking test has to be done.
o 8 proof
o Parking test: Park the solar car within a given area without touching markers
o Track: Every car has to drive around a loop of 1km 4 times. This has to be performed at 65km/h without instruments in the car.
o Fastest km: every team will travel from A to B and back in the fastest possible time

Here are those cities mentioned -

2010_ESC_PromoTourMap.jpg (214.32 KiB) Viewed 951 times

Website - http://www.europeansolarchallenge.eu/

[Agent 47]

Here is a little bit about the UK entry in this event -

http://www.europeansolarchallenge.eu/team/41

Cambridge University Eco Racing is a student-run team based at the University's Engineering Department. It was founded in 2007, with the aim of building a solar car to compete in the 2009 World Solar Challenge. In June 2008 our prototype vehicle completed a run along the length of the UK, becoming the first solar vehicle to drive on UK roads. In the 2009 WSC our vehicle Endeavour finished 14th despite major battery problems. We are now looking to re-design our car to improve on this performance for the 2011 WSC.

2009_WSC_Endeavour.jpg (119.88 KiB) Viewed 933 times

[i_like_1981]

Having looked at that vehicle, I'm beginning to respect my country a bit more now. That really is one to be remembered. Looks more like a boat but... very original design. Congratulations to the people at Cambridge University... the brains of Britain are still being put to some good use!

Best regards,
i_like_1981

[Agent 47]

And apparently they drove that car the length of the UK, so there must be at least a little bit of sunshine there occasionally!

Anyway, I found the "Cambridge University Eco Racing" homepage, and that has some links on it there to all the usual Blog/Facebook/Twitter sites etc, and there's also a link to a site that I've never heard of before called "Element 14". It looks like it's a tech community.

So anyway, they (CUER) have a page on Element 14, and from there you can follow the links to download a neat little Powerpoint presentation that explains the basics of what's "under the hood" of a solar car. It's worth a look -

Go to the CUER "Element 14" Homepage -

http://www.element-14.com/community/gro ... eco-racing

Then, follow the link at the bottom of that page (currently found in the "Recent Content" area), to the "Electrical System Overview" page, which should get you here -

http://www.element-14.com/community/doc ... verviewppt,

and download the .ppt file.

OR, simply here is the direct link to the Solar Car Electrical System Overview, Powerpoint Presentation download - (1.5 Mb) -

http://www.element-14.com/community/ser ... erview.ppt

Enjoy the show!

[Agent 47]

Here is that Powerpoint presentation as a jpeg -

Note the power output of the solar array - 1.3 kW. These things run on the equivalent power of a hair dryer!

2010_ESC_Endeavour_Powerpoint_745x4930_600_65.jpg (252.62 KiB) Viewed 896 times