Here is a preliminary list of the 13 teams registered for the SASOL Solar Challenge in South Africa, which has been postponded to 19–26 February 2021 because of COVID-19. Registration is still open.

For more information, check out the race regulations or follow the official race social media at (click on the icons).

Asymmetric challenger ( BluePoint ) – this Belgian team is now sponsored by Agoria. They won the 2019 World Solar Challenge. They will be racing at ESC, at Sasol in February 2021, and at WSC in October 2021.

Previously, Agoria came 6th at WSC 13; came 5th at WSC 15; came 3rd at WSC 17; won WSC 19; came 3rd at Abu Dhabi 15; came 2nd at iESC 16; came 6th at iESC 18; and won Carrera Solar Atacama 18. Their team number (8) is a long-standing tradition.



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

Monohull challenger ( Tokai Challenger ) – given the overlap with WSC 2021, I am not sure if they will still compete.

Previously, Tokai came 2nd at WSC 13; came 3rd at WSC 15; came 4th at WSC 17; came 2nd at WSC 19; came 7th at Abu Dhabi 15; came 2nd at SASOL 16; and came 2nd at SASOL 18.

Challenger ( new car ) – this team is new to the South African race.

Previously, RVCE came 29th at WSC 15 and participated at WSC 17.



public domain photo

Asymmetric challenger ( new car: Eleadora 2 ) – they have worked hard to complete this car.

Previously, Mines Rabat participated at MSRC 19.

Asymmetric challenger ( S10 ) – they believe the new car to be 44% more efficient than the 2015 model. Given the overlap with WSC 2021, I am not sure if they will still compete in South Africa as they had planned.

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

ESTU Solar Team (ex Anadolu)

Challenger ( Sunatolia III ) – this is the team formerly known as Anadolu.

Previously, ESTU came 19th at WSC 15; came 2nd at SASOL 14; and participated at SASOL 16.



picture credit (click image to zoom – OLD PIC)

Classic symmetric challenger ( Areej 1 ) – they originally registered for ASC 2018 and WSC 2019, but withdrew from those events. Their car name is a pun: AREG/Areej is an acronym for Alfaisal Renewable Energy Group but also means “the scent of a flowery garden” in Arabic. Their car appears complete.

Tshwane University of Technology (TUT)

Challenger ( new car: Sun Chaser 4 ) – they hope to make their new car 25% more aerodynamic and 20 kg lighter than Sun Chaser 3. They discuss their 2018 race optimisation approach in this paper.

Previously, TUT came 6th at SASOL 16 and came 4th at SASOL 18.



picture credit (click image to zoom – OLD PIC)

Challenger ( Naledi II ) – they are looking to reclaim the “best South African team” title, which they lost to TUT in 2018, by heavily modifying their original Naledi.

Previously, NWU came 11th at WSC 15; participated at WSC 17; came 4th at SASOL 14; came 4th at SASOL 16; and came 5th at SASOL 18.

Challenger ( new car: Ntsu ) – they appear to have completely rebuilt their old car.

Previously, Seilatsatsi came 7th at SASOL 18.



picture credit (click image to zoom – OLD PIC)

Cape Peninsula University of Technology

Challenger ( new car: Solar Flyer II ) – they appear to be building a new car.

Previously, CPUT came 8th at SASOL 18.



picture credit (click image to zoom – OLD PIC)

University of the Free State

Challenger ( new team with car: Lengau ) – their car name is the Sesotho word for a cheetah.

SolarFlair

Challenger ( new team with car: SolarFlair SP 400 ) – this team is from Mbombela in Mpumalanga province.



no photo available (click image to zoom)

This page last updated 15:49 on 16 August 2020 AEST.