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, 26 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, the 26th, 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 10-year history. Approximately 15 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 000km. The 2018 event, from 22 to 30 September, 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-metres.
The teams will be in Nelson Mandela Bay on the 26th with Aldo Scribante Circuit as the finish line before they head out on the 27th 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 in the process of converting its two Tuk Tuks into solar-powered units ready to hit the streets in January 2019.
Statement issued and attributable to Luvuyo Bangazi, MBDA Spokesperson (083) 445 7776, [email protected]
Programme for Wednesday 26th
13:00 uYilo eMobility technology15:00 Sasol Solar Challenge sector finish16:00 Sasol Schools Programme commences16:45 Parc Ferme Open (Close 17:00)eMobility Expo / Fun Zone hosted by the MBDA in association with:
https://www.tia.org.za/http://uyilo.org.za/http://www.solarchallenge.org.za/