The Bridgestone World Solar Challenge has announced a new set of dates for the 2025 edition of its unique 3,000km solar car race across the Australian continent, along with some regulatory changes.
The biennial solar car race from Darwin to Adelaide will take place at the end of the Australian winter, from August 24 to August 31, 2025, instead of the traditional time slot of mid-October. “It means the sun will be lower in the sky, rising later and setting earlier,” he says Bridgestone World Solar Challenge ambassador and faculty member, Chris Selwood, in a press release.
“With daily solar radiation 20% lower than in October, teams will need an even greater focus on energy efficiency, because the world’s energy needs don’t stop when the sun doesn’t shine.” The seasonal change is just one constraint that will challenge the participants of the next edition of the race. New rules will soon be introduced for both the single-seater Challenger Class and the two-seater Cruiser Class.
So far, organizers have said the Cruiser Class will allow overnight charging. Both Cruiser and Challenger groups will compete in one stage.
Changes for the Challenger Class include an increased energy collection capacity, but a reduction in allowable storage capacity. Specifically, a maximum stored energy on board of 11 MJ will be allowed, and the permitted solar cell area will be 4 m² to 6 m².
The teams will have to practice “strategic” energy management, which “reflects the types of challenges faced by everyday providers juggling the supply-demand gap between energy availability and energy consumption,” organizers said.
More details about the upcoming Explorer Class and full regulations, program highlights and team registration details will be announced on World Environment Day on June 5.
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