Italian Solar Challenge Results

Above are official lap counts (in two stints) for the recent Italian Solar Challenge at the Imola Circuit near Bologna.

Bochum reported electrical problems with their SunRiser, and did not race, although they had successfully completed a qualifying lap (both Bochum cars had driven all the way to Italy). The local Italian team had even more serious electrical problems.

According to the regulations, for the Challenger class, there should be added to the scores above:

• 2 laps for the fastest lap during the race (Aachen gets this, with a time of 4:09.236 in the first stint, i.e. 70.9 km/h for the lap)
• 4 laps for the pole position in the qualifications (Aachen gets this too)

Consequently, Aachen’s lap score should, I understand, be adjusted up to 95.

Update: it seems that the organisers have decided to retroactively merge the two classes. Rankings are therefore:

1. Aachen
2. Bochum
3. Solaris
4. Solis-EV

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Italian Solar Challenge now on

The Italian Solar Challenge is now on at the Imola Circuit near Bologna. A calendar for the event is shown above. Further details and team social media links can be found on my annotated teams list. See also the race social media at    

 
The Covestro Sonnenwagen (left) and the thyssenkrupp SunRiser (right) are 2 of the 7 cars at the event (photos by Anthony Dekker, click images to zoom)

Update

The start grid is shown below, courtest of team Sonnenwagen Aachen, who also have a livestream here. It seems that I was wrong in the pictures above; Aachen are racing only the three-wheel Covestro Photon. Bochum reports electrical problems with their SunRiser, which they expect to race only a few laps.

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European Solar Challenge: Further Analysis

I updated my previous post to include visualisations of the official results of the iLumen European Solar Challenge. However, a helpful commenter shared a link to the detailed lap data, so above and below is some further analysis on lap times. Colours are the same as in the previous charts. As always, click to zoom.

The chart at the top shows pit time (including recharging time) as almost-horizontal lines, and pit time is also visible as gaps in the chart below. The histograms show that Top Dutch (6), the two cars from Sonnenwagen Aachen (7 and 70), Istanbul Technical University (34), and the experienced drivers in BOSolarCar e.V. (11) were particularly good at driving consistent lap times.

Measured by median lap times, Stella Vita from Eindhoven (41), Covestro Photon from Aachen (7), SunRiser from Bochum (11), RED E from Twente (42), and BluePoint from Agoria (8) were the fastest cars.

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European Solar Challenge Lap Data

All too soon, the 24-hour iLumen European Solar Challenge is over. The charts above and below (click to zoom) show results from the live timing board. The winners of the two classes (Challenger and CR = Cruiser) will be decided on points scores, which are still to come. Meanwhile, however, the German teams from Aachen and Bochum deserve special congratulations. For updates, see also the race social media at    

Update 1: there are apparently no official results yet. All that has been released has been the podiums:

• Challenger: 1. Covestro Photon (Aachen), 2. Covestro Sonnenwagen (Aachen), 3. RED E (Twente)
• Cruiser: 1. Lodz, 2. Onda Solare, 3. Stella Era (Eindhoven)

Using the guidelines in the official regulations, I can calculate the Challenger class scores (see below).

Update 2: the official results have now been released, and I have added the chart below. Bochum seems to have lost out from having a two-seater car. For the rest, practicality judging makes up 40% of the final Cruiser score at iESC, so that Lodz essentially won on practicality (although I note that four of the Cruisers raced in Australia in 2019, and I would have expected both practicality and efficiency scores at Zolder to have been somewhat similar).

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European Solar Challenge (iESC)

The iLumen European Solar Challenge in Belgium is about to begin – see my annotated list of iESC teams. The 24-hour track race will start at 13:00 on the 17^th, continuing until 13:00 on the 18^th. The image above shows Kratos EAFIT (from Colombia), Sonnenwagen Aachen (from Germany), Top Dutch (from the Netherlands), and Onda Solare (from Italy).

For fans at home interested in the weather, check the forecast. It looks like it will be rather wet, sadly. At the top of this page is a webcam nearby, looking west, towards the Zolder racetrack. This webcam is at the track itself (with a view of the “Kleine Chicane,” looking roughly north from just about the centre of the track). Circuit Zolder has a live timing board and tracker. See also the race social media at      

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Italian Solar Challenge 2022

Following the iLumen European Solar Challenge in Belgium will be the Italian Solar Challenge, from 25 to 30 September at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari near Bologna. Here is a list of 5 teams from 4 countries (3 Challenger teams and 2 Cruiser teams) intending to race in this event. See also the race social media at    

The ISC permits up to 6 m² solar panels in both Challenger and Cruiser classes. Detailed regulations can be found on the ISC website.

9    Onda Solare 

Four-seat cruiser (Emilia 4 LT) – they won the American Solar Challenge (Cruiser class) in 2018, and they have written up their design process here, but they have since made substantial improvements to the vehicle, including to the aerodynamics, suspension, battery, and solar panels. There is also an unusual open tail.

Previously, Onda came 10^th at WSC 13; participated in the WSC 19 Cruiser class; won the ASC 18 Cruiser class; came 10^th at Abu Dhabi 15; came 6^th at iESC 16; won the iESC 21 Cruiser class; and came 2^nd in the iESC 22 Cruiser class. Their team number (9) is taken from the SS 9, the highway through Bologna, which was once the Roman Via Aemilia (hence also the name of their vehicle).

 
Left: credit / Right: credit (click images to zoom)

11    BoSolarCar Association (BOSolarCar e.V.) 

Two-seat cruiser (thyssenkrupp SunRiser) – BOSolarCar e.V. is an association of Bochum alumni that maintains and races old Bochum cars. They will also race their older SolarWorld GT in Italy.

Previously, Bochum came 2^nd in the WSC 13 Cruiser class; came 3^rd in the WSC 15 Cruiser class; came 2^nd in the WSC 17 Cruiser class; came 4^th in the WSC 19 Cruiser class; came 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th at iESC 16; came 2^nd, 3^rd, and 5^th in the iESC 18 Cruiser class; came 3^rd and 4^th in the iESC 21 Cruiser class; came 4^th in the iESC 22 Cruiser class; came 1^st and 7^th at Albi Eco 18; came 1^st and 2^nd at Albi Eco 19; and came 3^rd at Albi Eco 22.

 
Left: SolarLabor / Right: Anthony Dekker (click images to zoom)

70    Sonnenwagen Aachen 

Three-wheel (outrigger) challenger (Covestro Photon) – their older monohull, Covestro Sonnenwagen, will also be on track in Belgium.

Previously, Aachen participated at WSC 17; came 6^th at WSC 19; came 3^rd at iESC 18; came 5^th and 8^th at iESC 20; came 2^nd and 6^th at iESC 21; came 1^st and 2^nd at iESC 22; and came 5^th at SCM 21. Their team number (70) is the number they raced with in 2017.

 
Left: Anthony Dekker / Right: credit (click images to zoom)

81    Solar Team Solaris (Dokuz Eylül University) 

Challenger (S11) – they have replaced their old catamaran with a bullet car, which they will be racing again.

Previously, Solaris participated in the WSC 13 Adventure class; came 25^th at WSC 15; came 18^th at WSC 19; came 9^th at iESC 16; came 7^th at iESC 21; came equal 8^th at iESC 22; came 2^nd at Albi Eco 18; and came 2^nd at MSRC 19.

 
Left: credit / Right: credit (click images to zoom)

99    Solis-EV (TU Cluj-Napoca) 

Challenger (Solis) – this is team is from Cluj-Napoca in Romania.

Previously, Solis-EV came 9^th at iESC 21 and came equal 8^th at iESC 22.

 
Left: credit / Right: credit (click images to zoom)

This page last updated 08:45 on 26 September 2022 AEST.

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Solar Challenge Morocco, Last Day

The five-day Solar Challenge Morocco is over. With sandstorms, flooded roads, and mountain passes having gradients of up to 12%, it was without a doubt the toughest solar car race in the world. Six Challenger Class cars competed (for details, see my illustrated teams list with social media links).

Solar Team Twente (NL, team 21) won the event (as well as winning the day, on adjusted timings). They were followed by:

• Agoria Solar Team (KU Leuven, BE, team 8)
• Vattenfall Solar Team (Delft, NL, team 3)
• Top Dutch Solar Racing (NL, team 6)
• Sonnenwagen Aachen (DE, team 7)
• Chalmers Solar Team (SE, team 51)

In addition, Solaride, from Estonia, had the only Cruiser Class car, and raced in Adventure Class. The photograph in the graphic is from Solar Team Twente. Official results are here.

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Solar Challenge Morocco, Day 4

Four days of the five-day Solar Challenge Morocco are over. Six Challenger Class cars are competing (see my illustrated teams list with social media links for details). Cars climbed to about 1,280 m today, before descending back to about 730 m. The conditions were also challenging, with roads awash with water.

Solar Team Twente (NL, team 21) holds their lead over Agoria Solar Team (KU Leuven, BE, team 8), with Vattenfall Solar Team (Delft, NL, team 3) in third place. The photograph is from Top Dutch. Official results are here.

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Solar Challenge Morocco, Day 3

The Solar Challenge Morocco is ongoing, with the race running until 29 October. Six Challenger Class cars are competing (see my illustrated teams list with social media links for details). Cars climbed to about 1,280 m today, before descending back to about 700 m. The weather was also challenging, with clouds and sandstorms.

Solar Team Twente (NL, team 21) has taken the lead from Agoria Solar Team (KU Leuven, BE, team 8), with Vattenfall Solar Team (Delft, NL, team 3) in third place. The photograph is from Hans-Peter van Velthoven / Vattenfall. Official results are here.

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Solar Challenge Morocco, Day 2

The Solar Challenge Morocco is ongoing, with the race running until 29 October. Six Challenger Class cars are competing (see my illustrated teams list with social media links for details). Cars climbed to about 1,690 m today, before descending to about 700 m. Some of the mountain roads had inclines of up to 12%.

Agoria Solar Team (KU Leuven, BE, team 8) is still in the lead overall, although Solar Team Twente (NL, team 21) finished first today. The photograph is from Sonnenwagen Aachen (DE, team 7). Official results are here.

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