INTERVIEW: AMERICAN SOLAR CHALLENGE 2021

EV Channels Review

This video provides an insightful look into the 2021 American Solar Challenge, focusing on interviews with two participating university teams: Appalachian State University and Principia College. The Appalachian State team discusses their multi-occupant vehicle, 'Rose,' highlighting its sports-car-like design, dual-seat configuration, and hybrid charging system (solar and grid). They emphasize their focus on aesthetics and practicality, building the car from scratch with a carbon fiber body. Principia College's team details their single-occupant, asymmetrical catamaran-style vehicle, an 11th iteration built over 1.5 years, facing significant challenges due to the pandemic which necessitated outsourcing parts of the build. The interview delves into the complexities of solar car regulations, comparing US and Australian race rules, and the technical aspects of solar arrays, including the difference between silicon and gallium cells. Both teams acknowledge the potential impact of wildfire smoke on solar energy capture. The video concludes by noting Appalachian State's win in the multi-occupant class and Principia College's third-place finish in the single-occupant class, with neither team requiring towing.