PRESS RELEASE: Sikat II bags 3rd place in World Solar Challenge

Photo of the Sikat II crew at the finish line, taken from the Team Solar Philippines Facebook page.

Sikat II placed third in the Adventure Class of the 2013 World Solar Challenge (WSC) after traveling six days from Darwin to Adelaide.

The Philippines’ representative to the most prestigious solar car racing event traveled a total of 2,487 solar kilometers, beating Hong Kong, Turkey, USA, and two teams from Japan. Australia’s Aurora Evolution placed first while Chile’s Antakari landed second place in the same category.

A solar kilometer is the distance traveled by a vehicle relying solely on the sun’s energy.

“I feel so proud of the Sikat Solar Team for their accomplishments in spite of the limited resources and their hectic schedules. All the sleepless nights paid off in the form their third place finish,” says Project Manager Richard Li.

Team manager Dr. Alvin Culaba attributes the top finish to the dedication of the people behind Sikat II. “The race is more than getting to the finish line the fastest. The completion of this cross-continent journey is a demonstration of the team’s exemplary work ethic as well as their physical fitness and mental strength.”

Mechanical and electronics engineering students and faculty members from De La Salle University developed the Philippine solar car.

Sikat Solar Challenge Foundation, composed of representatives from First Phil Holdings, First Gen, Energy Development Corporation, Sunpower, Ufreight, Shell, and Motolite, supported the development of Sikat II.

Now on its 26th year, the WSC has been a leading venue for young engineers and scientists from all over the world for the pursuing the ideals of sustainable transport. Forty-two teams from 24 countries competed in three categories in the 2013 WSC.