Solar Challenge Morocco
Everything you need to know.
The Ultimate Challenge
Solar Challenge Morocco is an alternative to the cancelled Bridgestone World Solar Challenge. For this first time ever, Dutch rally organisation Classic Events joined forces with several solar teams to prepare a new challenge.
The more than 2,500-kilometer long race under the Moroccan sun demands the utmost from the solar cars and from the teams. Solar Challenge Morocco will be a legendary rally of five stages spread over five days in which the cars may only use solar energy. The race starts and ends in the port city of Agadir and mainly leads through the southern part of Morocco, at the foot of the Atlas Mountains and the edge of the Sahara. The team that completes the total distance fastest wins. The set-up therefore differs from the now well-known race in Australia. In the World Solar Challenge (3,000 kilometres), the teams start at the point where they finished the previous day. In Morocco, there are stages with a fixed start and finish. The concept is similar to the Dakar Rally. Teams from Groningen (NL), Delft (NL), Aachen (GE), Leuven (BE) and Gothenburg (SW) also participate in the race.
General planning
22 October – Static scrutineering
23 October – Static scrutineering
24 October – Dynamic scrutineering & qualifying
25 October – Stage 1, start at Stade Adrar in Agadir
26 October – Stage 2
27 October – Stage 3
28 October – Stage 4
29 October – Stage 5, finish and ceremony at Stade Adrar in Agadir
The Route
Solar Challenge Morocco consists of five stages. Each stage has a different route. Between the stages, teams are staying in bivouacs near the stage finish.
Stage 1: Agadir to Zagora
Distance: 475 km
Starting point: 12 m
Highest point: 1850 m
Ending point: 750 m
Elevation gain: 3900 m
Stage 2: Zagora to Merzouga
Distance: 551 km
Starting point: 750 m
Highest point: 1700 m
Ending point: 700 m
Elevation gain: 5400 m
Stage 3: Merzouga to Merzouga
Distance: 523 km
Starting point: 700 m
Highest point: 1250 m
Ending point: 700 m
Elevation gain: 3300 m
Stage 4: Merzouga to Zagora
Distance: 447 km
Starting point: 700 m
Highest point: 1250 m
Ending point: 750 m
Elevation gain: 3000 m
Stage 5: Zagora to Agadir
Distance: 456 km
Starting point: 750 m
Highest point: 1850 m
Ending point: 12 m
Elevation gain: 3100 m
Total
Distance: 2452 km
Starting point: 12 m
Highest point: 1850 m
Ending point: 12 m
Elevation gain: 18,700 m

Regulations
Regulations of Solar Challenge Morocco are based on the regulations of the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge. This year, rhe biannual championship in Australia was cancelled due to the corona pandemic. However, Solar Team Twente continued producing RED Horizon with the faith to be competing in an alternative race. This alternative has been found.
The regulations of the 2021 edition have been changed a lot compared to the regulations of the race in 2019. The highly efficient allium-arsenide solar cells, for example, aren’t allowed anymore, making the maximum solar cells surface shift from 2.64 m2 to 4 m2. Additionally, three-wheeled vehicles are allowed again, creating more room for different concepts.
Watch Chris Selwood, event director of the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, explain the regulations changes of the 2021 edition below.
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