We’re nonetheless decompressing after an thrilling final week on the Electrek System Solar Grand Prix. Whereas we’ve sponsored the occasion earlier than, as the brand new title sponsor of the occasion, we determined to deliver a workforce out and actually go behind the scenes.

As a background, the System Solar Grand Prix is a part of the American Photo voltaic Problem. On years when the ASC is held, FSGP serves because the qualifier occasion. FSGP is a yearly occasion that pits numerous universities from the US and overseas towards one another in two automobile courses: single-occupant automobiles and extra difficult multi-occupant automobiles. The governing physique and funder behind the races is the Innovators Instructional Basis.

The FSGP race this yr at longtime sponsor Heartland Motor Speedway in Topeka, Kansas, was over eight hours a day over three days for a complete of 24 whole operating hours. Within the time earlier than and after the race, the groups are sometimes seen photo voltaic charging their automobiles on angles to catch the final bits of solar and the primary bits within the morning to replenish their small backup batteries.

The automobiles nearly fully run on daylight through the race, and we noticed a mess of various strategies to maximise the driving distance over the assorted climate days.

Some fascinating background I picked up is that because the 90s, when photo voltaic racing began, the expertise has improved a lot that occasion organizers have needed to whittle down the quantity of photo voltaic panels every college is allowed to have, from limitless to six sq. meters to now 4 sq. meters. The automobiles have been merely going too quick. Different security/slowdown measures have been included, like roll cages and requiring upright drivers. The “scrutineering” element is troublesome and requires brakes and different tools to be in high kind.

2023 Electrek System Solar Grand Prix winners

The 2023 outcomes are right here, with the College of Florida profitable the one occupancy automobile race and Montreal profitable the multi-occupancy race – there was even a dragstrip this yr.

2024 and past

Whereas we’re basking within the afterglow of this yr’s race, identical to the faculties, we’ll quickly start preparing for 2024 and past. Electrek would like to sponsor once more, and we’re working with the Innovators Instructional Basis to make that occur.

We all know there might be much more faculties concerned subsequent yr, and people faculties are already gearing up for the competitors, which can seemingly be on roads all through the Western US (particulars TBD).

In case you are into this sort of occasion, I extremely encourage you to become involved, donate to the IEF, again your alma mater or native faculties, and make plans to go to subsequent yr. It was nice seeing Electrek readers on the occasion, and we hope to catch you once more subsequent yr!