Pretoria - The SA Solar Challenge - a race between solar-powered vehicles - kicked off today at the Innovation Hub in Pretoria.
Miss Earth South Africa Nondy Dzingwa, the chief executive of the Innovation Hub and disabled children from the Hope school in Johannesburg were among those who were there to witness five solar-powered cars take off.
The race is organised by the Advanced Energy Foundation and the Innovation Hub. The first challenge began on South African soil in 2008 as a 10-day race starting in Pretoria, then making its way to Cape Town before heading back to Pretoria.
Teams in this year's race include the 2008 challenge winners, the Japanese group from Tokai University, and the German school in Johannesburg, among others. They will make their way along the N1 via Kroonstad and Winburg to Bloemfontein overnight, after which they will be in Beaufort West on Friday.
On Saturday, they will race along the N1 via Lainsburg and Touws River to Cape Town.
The aim of the bi-annual challenge is to promote science and technology in southern Africa and to demonstrate the potential of renewable energy sources, not only for motoring, but other industries.
In order to qualify for the race, each team's vehicle is put through several technical inspections. Those that fail to meet the requirements are not allowed to participate.
During the course of the race, each team is escorted by their respective support team and the vehicles are tracked and monitored.
Teams must build their own cars and design their own engineering systems. The cost of making the vehicles varies, as some parts of the cars are donated.
The cars will travel more than 4 000km across the country before returning to Pretoria on 2 October.
"The SA Solar Challenge is the World Cup of renewable energy racing," said race director Winstone Jordaan.
"South Africa has the chance to demonstrate not just its beauty and geographic diversity, but also our world class science base and engineering skills, and the potential of our renewable energy industry."
