Australia's Champion Solar Car Team to Unveil its Million Dollar World Solar Challenge Defender

Aurora, together with RMIT University will, on 2 November 2001 unveil its new high technology solar powered super car just prior to defending its world champion title at the 21001 World Solar Challenge. The WSC starts from Darwin on 18 November and will finish 3,010 kms later in Adelaide.

Minister John Brumby, Victorian Treasurer and Minister for State & Regional Development will unveil the car in a launch ceremony at 101 Collins Street. John Bertrand, Australia's best known international yachtsman, will encourage the Aurora team heading to Darwin.

Aurora 101 became the first Australian entry to win the World Solar Challenge when it took line honours in the 1999 event just 26 minutes ahead of the Canadian entry from Queen's University.

The Event was first run in 1987 and has been the development and testing ground for many advanced technologies designed to demonstrate the potential of clean and renewable solar energy. Companies such as Honda, Toyota, Nissan, GM and others have competed with factory entries in past events.

The Aurora-RMIT 101 car for 2001 incorporates many new technologies aimed at lifting its performance by 20% versus 1999 and has the potential to break the event record set by Honda in 1996.

The Australian World Solar Challenge in November caps a big year for international solar car competition with Malaysia, USA and Japan staging lead-up events in June and July respectively. Twelve countries will be represented in the 38 entries for the 2001 World Solar Challenge.

The Aurora -RMIT 101 entry will face leading contenders from USA in Michigan, Solar Motions and Missouri-Rolla, Canada's Queen's University, a new Dutch entry - Alpha Centauri - and Tamagawa and Kanazawa from Japan, as well as UNSW from Sydney.

David Fewchuk, team leader for Aurora said "This could be the most closely contested event ever seen, and given good weather any of the top 4 or 5 entries could break the event record which stands at an average speed of nearly 90 kph."

The Aurora Vehicle Association is a volunteer organisation encouraged by an excellent supporter base representing corporate, education, and government interests. Through a program backed by one of the Association's supporters, RACV, the public has been able to sponsor the Aurora-RMIT 101 solar car through direct donation.

Aurora has 55 supporter companies or organisations, the leading ones being Ford, Minter Ellison, Sumitomo Corporation, Bosch, 101 Collins Street and the Victorian Government. Altogether, the support from these sources combined with the time volunteered by the Association exceeds $1 million.

New high efficiency lithium-ion batteries, a new solar array using gallium arsenide space grade solar cells, improved efficiency solar trackers and motor controller and new motors will ensure the 2001 car achieves about 20% improved performance from the 1999 winning car. This is aided by many redesigned components to reduce weight about 20%.

The World Solar Challenge is the first major event in the plans for using the Aurora-RMIT 101 solar car over the following year to promote greenhouse gas reduction practices, highlight Australian technology and encourage the many young engineers in the Aurora Association to advance their careers.