The 2022 Sasol Solar Challenge will be in Gariep (Forever Resort Gariepdam) on 11 September. Solar cars will start arriving at the venue from 15:00 until 18:00.

After travelling roughly 620 kilometres from Johannesburg (taking stops along the route), the Sasol Solar Challenge will finish day two of the eight-day event at Forever Resort Gariepdam. Gariep will also be the finish line of the first-ever marathon stage, which will start in Kroonstad. The marathon stage aims to challenge teams to work on their solar cars in a closed and secured area with limited workforce.

Day four of the Sasol Solar Challenge will start at Forever Resort Gariepdam on 12 September. Solar cars will start departing the venue from 07:00 until 08:30.

“When the solar car teams arrive at Forever Resort Gariepdam, the marathon stage will officially come to an end. Teams will go back to the normal set-up of working on their cars as a team, instead of only three individuals. “However, from here, the challenge will get even more interesting. Between Gariep and Cape Town, we will be introducing half and full blind stages (undisclosed routes). The teams will have to strategise and guess the towns which are the secret routes,” said Robert Walker, Owner and Director of the Sasol Solar Challenge.

The 2022 Sasol Solar Challenge will incorporate special stages, which includes half and full blind stages, where information relating to the route will be withheld until the night before teams take on the road, forcing them to strategise last minute.

“We look forward to travelling with the teams to Gariep and engaging with the community. We also wish each team good luck as they work on a strategy to complete the blind stages and the whole event successfully,” said Nozipho Mbatha, Senior Manager: Group Brand and Sponsorships at Sasol. 

The Sasol Solar Challenge takes place every two years, bringing together university and high school teams, and even private engineers who have manufactured fully functioning, roadworthy solar powered cars. It runs on public roads, sharing space with trucks and regular traffic, and passes through multiple small towns.

The 2022 route from Johannesburg to Cape Town will include five provinces and 18 towns. New towns include Brakpan, Trompsburg, Willowmore, Kirkwood, Jeffreys Bay, Riversdale and Caledon. The event is also bringing new local and international teams including those competing for the first time in South Africa.

Spectators are welcome at all stops, and more information on the route and the teams can be found at: https://www.solarchallenge.org.za/