KU Leuven team wins ‘world's most extreme race’ for solar cars in South Africa

The Innoptus Solar Team, the team of KU Leuven engineering students who compete in solar car races, has won the Sasol Solar Challenge in South Africa. The race is considered the most extreme in the world for solar cars.

The students drove from Johannesburg to Cape Town in eight days, covering more than 4,000km. Because of that distance, combined with the heat, large differences in altitude and rough roads in busy cities, the biennial Sasol Solar Challenge is seen as the most extreme of its kind.

While the Belgians came second during the previous edition in 2022, behind the team from Delft from the Netherlands, they left the Dutch teams from Twente and Delft far behind this time. They thus lived up to their status as one of the main favourites, a status they obtained after becoming world champions in Australia in October last year.

“We still have to let it sink in, but we are super emotional and very proud,” said Arne Basteijns, spokesperson for the team. “We've been working towards this for a whole year. We are going to have a good party tonight, together with all the teams.”

Technical innovations

The solar car race started last Friday. After the first day, the Belgians already were in the lead. In the following days, there were constant changes at the top of the standings, but in the last three days the KU Leuven team managed to hold on to the lead. The Belgian students even drove a day record twice last week. The Innoptus Solar Team's record now is 703 km in a day.

At the start of the race, the Belgians were struggling with some technical problems, but the rest of the week went pretty much without a hitch. Especially the updated battery cooling system, the fin on top of the car and the tilting system proved decisive in the race.

“Thanks to the improved battery cooling, we were able to save a lot of energy in the mountains,” said Basteijns. “The fin allowed us to surf along with the wind, which was also advantageous in the desert. The quick tilting system allowed the drivers to get in and out of the vehicle quickly at all times. But the strategists also did a fantastic job: they helped make the difference.”

The KU Leuven team will next year, with new engineering students, again drive the world championship in Australia. The new team members are currently working on designing an entirely new solar car, which will be used in Australia for the first time.

^{#FlandersNewsService | The solar car of the Belgian Innoptus Solar Team during the final day of the Sasol Solar Challenge in South Africa on September 20, 2024. © BELGA PHOTO RODGER BOSCH / AFP}