World Solar Challenge 1987 Explained

WSC Infobox/doc
Abovestyle:background:#faa21f;
Above:1987 Pentax World Solar Challenge
Subheader:The 1st edition of the World Solar Challenge
Headerstyle:background:#fbe4ce;
Label1:Host Country
Data1: Australia
Label2:Dates run
Data2:1987
Label3:Start
Data3:Darwin, Australia
Label4:Finish
Data4:Adelaide, Australia
Label6:Total Distance (km)
Data6:3,028
Header7:Results
Label8:Winner
Data8: General Motors
Label9:2nd
Data9: Ford Australia
Label10:3rd
Data10: Biel College of Engineering

The 1987 World Solar Challenge was the first international solar-powered car race held in Australia. It covered about 3,000 km (1,900 mi) through the Australian Outback, from Darwin, Northern Territory to Adelaide, South Australia.

The race included 23 teams and was won by a team from General Motors with the car 'Sunraycer' ahead of entries from Ford Australia and Biel College of Engineering.[1] The race included a time deadline. Of the 23 entrants, six completed the full course, with others' completion points were noted in order at their location at the time of the race end time. A few teams chose to continue to Adelaide afterwards, with one team from Japan completing the course in a month.[2]

Route

The World Solar Challenge runs across approximately 3,000 km from Darwin, the capital of the Northern Territory, to Adelaide, the capital of South Australia.

Results

RankTeamCarCountryTime (hr:mn)Speed (km/h)
1General MotorsSunraycerUSA44:9066.90
2Ford AustraliaSunchaserAustralia67:5344.48
3Biel College of EngineeringSpirit of BielSwitzerland69:9742.98
4Australian GeographicMarsupialAustralia42:1471.00
5Darwin Institute of TechnologyDesert RoseAustralia44:3367.31
6Chisholm Institute of TechnologyDesert CatAustralia45:2666.00
The balance of the 23 cars, including teams from the Solar Resource Syndicate (Australia), Massachusetts Institute of Technology Solectria, Alarus, Chariot of the Sun (Denmark), Hoxan Corporation, Morphett Vale High School and Semiconductor Energy Lab finished in-place on the course at the end of the race time, where their location was recorded in order. After the race ended several teams continued on to the course finish in Adelaide, including a team from Japan who took one month to finish the course.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Honour Roll World Solar Challenge 2023 . 2023-10-28 . worldsolarchallenge.org.
  2. Web site: Team List . 2023-10-28 . 140.112.14.7.