Bay to welcome iconic solar powered race cars with solar technology expo experience

The Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA), the Technology Innovation Agency and the uYilo eMobility programme based at the Nelson Mandela University will be hosting an interactive display of solar technology that is powering the next generation of transportation trends. The expo also dubbed the Fun Zone is being hosted on Wednesday the 26^th of September at Aldo Scribante as part and parcel of the activities to welcome the 15-team strong international Sasol Solar Challenge race expected from 3pm. 

The Sasol Solar Challenge is coming to the Bay this Wednesday 26^th with residents and scholars encouraged to come and be part of the action as these impressive solar powered electric vehicles make their way to our Bay in a race for top honors against time. Growing from a mostly local event with only one professional competitor, this year, the sixth Sasol Solar Challenge will be the biggest in its ten-year history. Approximately fifteen international teams including 2016 Dutch title defenders, Delft University, will join local teams to compete for the 2018 tittle. The Sasol Solar Challenge is a biennial competition. Teams from across the world design and build solar-powered electric vehicles to drive across South Africa in an eight-day event.

This year the competing international teams are expected to travel distances between 2 500 and 5 000 km. The 2018 event which starts from 22^nd September to 30 September 2018 traverses some of the world’s most beautiful and diverse landscapes, from savannah and mountains to coastal forest. International teams are attracted to the challenge of competing in varying road conditions and weather situations, across an altitude that ranges by nearly 2 000 meters.

The teams will be in Nelson Mandela Bay on Wednesday the 26^th with Aldo Scribante Circuit as the finish line before they head out on the 27^th towards the Western Cape. Race village and Fun Zone will open at 13h00 with several exhibitions on display including the fun and popular Segway tours experience which is usually seen by the beach front. The Mandela Bay Development Agency operated Uitenhage based Science and Technology Centre will be on site to engage the scholars, in addition, the agency is the process of converting its two Tuk Tuks into solar powered units ready to hit the streets in January 2019.