The 2017 World Solar Challenge is still 16 months away. But in those 16 months, teams have to design, build, and test a solar car, prepare for racing it, and get it and themselves to Australia. That is a great deal of work!
I was chatting to a friend recently about which hopeful teams stand a chance of doing well, and at this stage I would be looking for three positive signs. First, there should be a team (and a suitably diverse one). It is already a little late to be recruiting.
The new team from Twente
Second, teams should have digested the new regulations and be thinking about the design issues arising from them.
Twente team-members study the 2017 regulations
And third, every WSC team has been constrained by financial limits. Consequently, teams should already have their fundraising machinery up and running, including a website and designated fundraising and PR people. The month before the race is not a good time to be trying to raise travel expenses.
I hope that all the teams, especially the newer ones, are up and running in this way!
Scientific Gems 