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Delen
The 24-hour race for solar cars in Belgium was a big challenge for the new Solar Team Twente team. The student team from Enschede participated with solar cars RED Horizon and RED E. Solar car RED E seemed to be on its way to victory, but a technical problem just before the finish meant the race was over. RED Horizon also had to stop for a long time, so a top ranking soon proved unfeasible. The team from Aachen ran away with the victory. Solar Team Twente finished in places 4 and 8.
Good learning experience
A new delegation of 21 students from Saxion University of Applied Sciences and the University of Twente started their adventure two weeks ago. The team is working towards the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in Australia, for which the 24-hour race in Belgium is a good dress rehearsal. Poor weather conditions and short preparation time made it a huge task. These conditions created a good learning curve for the new team. For example, they had to deal with many unforeseeable situations, bad weather conditions and the tension could run high. “It was a hugely challenging race, but I am very positively surprised at how the team handled it,” said team leader Kirsten Bouwman. “There will be many more challenges coming our way in the coming year, for which this experience has laid a good foundation.”
Confidence
The student team is working for a year to design and build a completely new innovative solar car, which will have to cover the 3000-kilometer race through the Australian desert as fast as possible. Just as in Belgium at the iLumen European Solar Challenge at Circuit Zolder, it is vital that the team is efficient during next year’s world championship. Bouwman: “In Australia we need to be confident at the start of the race, and challenges like this 24-hour race bring the team closer together. The team feeling was very good to feel this whole weekend, despite the challenging conditions of the race. This gives the team good courage and we are all looking forward to next year and the race in Australia!”
About Solar Team Twente
Solar Team Twente is a student team from Hogeschool Saxion and University of Twente and is dedicated to the so-called “Challenge Based Learning.” The 21 students put aside their studies for a year and a half to build a solar-powered car based on the regulations of the World Championship in Australia, which starts on October 20, 2023. They are doing this to push the boundaries of today’s technology and show what is possible with it. The student team is financing the project with the help of partners and is still looking for companies willing to support the project.
