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

As a background, the Components 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 lessons: 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 large number of various methods to maximise the driving distance over the assorted climate days.

Some attention-grabbing background I picked up is that because the 90s, when photo voltaic racing began, the know-how 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 had been merely going too quick. Different security/slowdown measures have been integrated, like roll cages and requiring upright drivers. The “scrutineering” part is tough and requires brakes and different tools to be in high kind.

2023 Electrek Components 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 will probably be much more faculties concerned subsequent yr, and people faculties are already gearing up for the competitors, which is able to doubtless be on roads all through the Western US (particulars TBD).

If you’re into this sort of occasion, I extremely encourage you to get entangled, 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!