Following last year's World Solar Challenge success, the University of Queensland's solar racing team expects the improved SunShark to be a serious contender in SunRace 2000.
The 1790km race starts February 13 at The Rocks in Sydney and runs in seven legs over seven consecutive days, finishing in Melbourne on February 19.
Project manager Alana Maher said the team had high hopes for its entry in the open class of the SunRace. SunShark finished third in the 1999 3010km World Solar Challenge and second in last year's SunRace.
"Key opposition in this race are Northern Territory University's Desert
Rose, World Solar Challenge winner Aurora, the University of New South Wales, and last year's SunRace winners Spirit of Canberra (Tuggeranong College)," she said. "It will, however, be a very close race and dependant on environmental influences like the weather. Rain could limit SunShark's chances of success."
Ms Maher said the team was completing repairs on SunShark as well as installing high-performance Nicad batteries and an optical encoder to improve motor reliability and efficiency.
The team is also improving SunShark's braking efficiency, adding a new rear braking system to the front braking system.
"To qualify, we need to pass braking tests. They don't close the roads for these races - we're still battling normal traffic, we still have to stop at red lights, so we need to have an efficient braking system," Ms Maher said.
SunRace, the annual Australian solar car and electric vehicle challenge, is an open road event runs from Sydney to Melbourne via Canberra, travelling inland to Mildura through some of Australia's harshest outback country and busiest regional cities.
Now in its fourth year, SunRace aims to promote renewable energy to the widest possible audience and to encourage the development and use of practical everyday electric vehicles.
The race legs are as follows: February 13 - Sydney to Canberra via Pheasants Nest and Goulburn; February 14 - Canberra to Wagga Wagga via Yass and Gundagai; February 15 - Wagga Wagga to Hay via Narrandera and Truck Bay; February 16 - Hay to Mildura via Balranald and Euston; February 17 - Mildura to Swan Hill via Ouyen and Managatang; February 18 - Swan Hill to Bendigo via Cohuna and Rochester; February 19 - Bendigo to Albert Park via Heathcote and Wallan.
For more information, contact Alana Maher (telephone 3365 3771).
.jpg)
