The Solar Team Twente ended in second place at the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge. On the final day of the 3000-kilometres World Solar Challenge in Australia, the team gave its all, but just missed getting into first place. The difference with the winner at the finish line in Adelaide was just three and a half minutes. The race has never been so exciting and the Twente team proved that it belongs to the absolute world top.
"On the final day, we did everything within our power to retake that first place," said Robin Haandrikman, technical manager of the Solar Team Twente just after the finish, Thursday morning Australian time in Adelaide. "It is terribly frustrating that we just missed it, but we are also very proud." The solar teams, true to tradition, dived into the fountain in Victoria Square in downtown Adelaide and were enthusiastically received by the assembled audience. UT college president, Victor van der Chijs, was also on hand to receive the team. Van der Chijs is extremely proud of the team Twente. "Never before were we so close to victory. It is an enormous achievement for this team. "
In the lead for half the race
The Solar Team Twente was in the lead for about half of the race. On the penultimate day (October 21) the Red One solar car was overtaken by the team from Delft. The battle between the two Dutch teams was chillingly exciting right up until the streets of Adelaide where Delft pulled ahead at the very last.
The penny simply dropped wrong way up
The Solar Team Twente completed the 3000 kilometre World Solar Challenge from Darwin to Adelaide in the about 38 hours. The team is thus about four hours faster than the previous Twente team that finished third in 2013, until then the best performance.
The average speed was 90 kilometres per hour, compared to 79 in 2013. The team thus met the target speed. "That's an unprecedented speed," says Haandrikman. "The team from Delft was only slightly faster. That's hard to comprehend. A few more green traffic lights could have, for instance, made all the difference. We are certainly very pleased with our Red One solar car. We had no technical problems at all: nothing mechanical, nothing electrotechnical and nothing in other areas. The penny could also have fallen just the other way." Learn more about the progress during the race in our live blog.
Bridgestone World Solar Challenge
On 18 October 2015, the Solar Team Twente took off in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, the most prestigious race for cars running on solar energy. Together with over fifty other international competitors, the Solar Team Twente drove the solar car 3,000 kilometres right across the Australian outback. There are four different classes to compete in. The solar team from Twente took part in the Challenger Class: the Formula 1 for the solar cars. For the first time, the Solar Team Twente drove an asymmetrical car whereby the driver is seated on the right side of the car.
Solar Team Twente
Solar Team Twente consists of nineteen students from Saxion and the University of Twente. In addition to the students, Solar Team Twente has a strong network of innovative partners. Together, they practice a top-class sport.
Photo: Gijs Versteeg
