Belgian team claims 2024 Sasol Solar Challenge title
Belgium’s Innoptus team has secured the 2024 Sasol Solar Challenge title, with the team breaking the daily distance record twice in a row during the competition.
The Innoptus team consists of engineering students from KU Leuven.
Teams arrived at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town on September 20 in the last and final leg of the competition, which kicked off in Secunda, Mpumalanga, on September 13.
The biennial event, now in its sixteenth year, is viewed as one of the four major solar car challenges in the world.
The competition is a distance event, with teams pushing their cars, powered only by the sun, to the limit in terms of how far they can go before running out of juice.
The eight days of competition had short and longer loops available at the end point of the racing days to offer teams the opportunity to rack up additional kilometres.
Fourteen teams competed in the 2024 event, from South Africa and abroad.
A local team has never won the race, with teams from Japan and The Netherlands taking top honours in all past events.
“What an outstanding achievement by Innoptus, and what an extraordinary week this has been,” said event director Rob Walker.
“This year’s Sasol Solar Challenge has been truly unforgettable,” added Sasol brand and communication VP Elton Fortuin.
“We have witnessed incredible breakthroughs in solar technology, celebrated remarkable achievements by all the teams, and engaged the public in a conversation about the future of energy.
“Congratulations to Innoptus and to all the teams who competed – you are all champions of sustainability and innovation.”
The event traversed six provinces, with the minimum distance to complete the race around 2 500 km.
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