Sasol Solar Challenge – The ultimate test of technology and innovation

More than a decade after its debut in South Africa, the Sasol Solar Challenge continues to be the ultimate test of technology and innovation and contributor to the future of mobility globally.

The Sasol Solar Challenge, in its fourteenth year, is a biennial competition for talented engineering teams from around the world to challenge each other to cover as much distance as possible as they travel on public roads from Gauteng to the Western Cape.

Local and international teams conceptualise, design and build solar-powered vehicles to drive across South Africa in the eight-day-long event while competing against each other, demonstrating and showcasing their design, manufacturing, and strategy skills. The challenge runs on public roads, sharing space with trucks and regular traffic, and passes through multiple small towns. The Sasol Solar Challenge was inspired by the World Solar Challenge which is now known as the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, held in Australia since 1987.

The Sasol Solar Challenge provides young people with the opportunity to experience hands-on learning and witness real-life applications of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education from like-minded scholars from around the world. It also helps them to better understand how solar technology works and why electric transportation is important for the future. Some teams go an extra mile to design and incorporate technologies into their solar cars, which enhances the communities’ experience.

Teachers and entire communities along the Sasol Solar Challenge route, also have an opportunity to transform their skills and knowledge and impart those to young people – for the progress of the society.

Solar car teams who compete in the challenge have an opportunity to practically apply the science and technology theory they’ve learnt at school or university and test their engineering skills against some of the best solar car teams in the world. The teams also contribute to industry research on solar technology, including the manufacturing of solar cells and electronics.

The 2022 event will take place from 9 – 16 September. This year’s route from Johannesburg to Cape Town will include five provinces, 14 towns and more than 20 communities. The Sasol Solar Challenge remains one of the best solar journeys to test human and technical limits.

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