The Tokai Challenger, a solar race car equipped with Sharp solar cells, has officially registered to be in the South African Solar Challenge 2010. The Tokai Challenger solar car is equipped with Sharp compound solar cells developed for outer space applications. The cells have an output of 1.8 kW and a cell conversion efficiency of 30%, the highest level in the world. The South African Solar Challenge 2010 is a race where vehicles, powered only by the sun’s energy, drive a 4,087-km loop in the Republic of South Africa. Tokai University drivers will include Kenjiro Shinozuka, who in 1997 became the first Japanese to achieve overall victory in the Paris to Dakar Rally.
The Tokai University team and their solar car participated in and won a solar car race that was held in Australia last year, the Global Green Challenge. Sharp is the only manufacturer whose solar cells are approved for use by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
