Sasol Solar Challenge: Belgian solar car once again too strong for Dutch rivals

Once again, victory in an important race for solar cars went to Belgium and not the Netherlands. The Innoptus Solar Team from Leuven won the Sasol Solar Challenge through South Africa on Friday. Second place went to students from Twente. The Brunel Solar Team from Delft, winner of the four previous editions, came third.

🏁 The 2024 #SasolSolarChallenge ended in thrilling style! Belgian-based Innoptus claimed victory, breaking the daily distance record twice. Thousands cheered as teams crossed the finish line in Cape Town, celebrating innovation, endurance, and sustainability. @Solar_Challenge pic.twitter.com/AWVzbScPZi

— Sasol (@SasolSA) September 21, 2024

The race began last Friday in Johannesburg. The students drove across South Africa for eight days in cars that generate their energy from sunlight. The finish line was in Cape Town on Friday. It is not the finishing time that counts, but the distance covered. Every day, loops on the route allowed the teams to increase their mileage. Leuven covered over 4,200 kilometers, and Twente almost 4,170 kilometers.

"The route turned out to be unsafe, so we couldn't continue our comeback against the Belgians and the team from Twente," said driver Daan Schramade of the Delft team. "Honestly, first place was no longer within reach, but we would have loved to fight for second place."

The World Solar Challenge across Australia is the most famous race for solar cars. It is considered the unofficial world championship. Leuven has won the last two editions after Delft triumphed in the three previous races. The race across Australia is mostly over flat and extensive terrain. In South Africa, the cars had to cross steep mountain roads.

Leuven also holds a world record: in 2022, their solar car drove a distance of 1,051 kilometers in twelve hours. Delft held the old record.

Ever since the Brunel Solar Team from Delft won their debut at the World Solar Challenge in 2001, the goal has been to promote the awareness of the power of sustainable energy through innovation. By participating in solar races all over the world, the TU Delft students want to show the world the possibilities of solar power and push the limits of technology.