Sasol has announced that it will be the title sponsor for the 2016 South African Solar Challenge. This is the third consecutive time that the chemicals and energy company is involved in as headline sponsor for the race which takes place every second year. 

Held under the auspices of the Fédération Internationale de I’Automobile (FIA), the International Solar Car Federation (ISF) and Motorsport South Africa (MSA), the solar challenge is the largest competition of its kind.  Aimed at completing challenging distances each day, using only solar energy, these vehicles represent the pinnacle of electric vehicle and solar technology research. Teams from around the world participate in this eco-efficiency challenge aimed at demonstrating the sophistication and performance of solar-powered vehicles.  

The 2016 Sasol Solar Challenge will take place from 24 September until 1 October 2016 and traverses some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world.  Starting in Pretoria, passing though the Free State plains and via Graaff-Reinet in the Karoo, it winds its way down to Port Elizabeth, after which it enters the beautiful Garden Route – and ends in Cape Town – eight  days later.

The Sasol Solar Challenge 2016 will feature five separate classes of competition: the Olympia Class and Challenger Class as main competitive classes for solar-electric vehicles; the Adventure Class  for pre-2016 event vehicles, typically 3 wheelers; the Cruiser Class for practicality; and the Sustainability Fleet, which is designed to provide a forum to further demonstrate advanced technologies in personal transport opportunities. 

Ranked as one of the top global events of its kind, the Sasol Solar Challenge is an exciting competition which not only educates people in the areas of science, innovation, teamwork and business principles, but also promotes collaboration between scholars, students, private individuals and various industry and government partners working together through a safe, technology rich event.

Involvement in the solar challenge presents university engineering students with a unique opportunity to develop cutting edge future technology in a practical way. Students put theory to action becoming involved in real world challenges of logistics, procurement, marketing and finance.   

The Sasol Solar Challenge 2016 promises to be the best event yet, with strong overseas entrants competing against local teams who are building more and more competitive vehicles. Currently four of the top teams in the world are scheduled to participate in the 2016 event.  
These include Delft University from the Netherlands, Tokai from Japan, KU Leuven from Belgium and the Megalux solar car from Hungary.

In 2015, the two leading South African teams from the 2014 Sasol Solar Challenge; North West University and University of KwaZulu-Natal –  represented South Africa in the World Solar Challenge in Australia. This was the first time that solar electric vehicles from the African continent participated in the global event. 

Richard Hughes, Sasol Group Sponsorship Manager said of the event: “The Sasol Solar Challenge is but one initiative that we support to encourage young people to achieve success in STEM subjects - Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Others initiatives include, Sasol Techno X, as well as our ongoing investment through a comprehensive bursary programme. Conceptualising, designing and building a solar car ticks all the boxes of STEM principles in that it provides a practical laboratory on wheels for the students.”