Chasing the sun - The world's greatest solar-powered race

Durham University Electric Motorsport (DUEM) was one of three UK teams involved in the 2015 event, which took place in October. The Student Engineer spoke to Tobias McBride, head of business & sponsorship, and Jonny Muir, external communications officer, about the team’s time in Australia and its plans for the future.

“The race itself is probably one of the most challenging on the planet and we knew it would not be a walk in the park,” said Tobias. “Unfortunately, in the first week of testing, our motor encountered a severe technical fault which, effectively, meant it was unusable. Despite this, we passed scrutineering well and did complete the 3022km of the WSC.”

“It was disappointing and frustrating for the team, of course, but we have come out of it stronger, more focused and more determined to make our car the very best in the world.”

The misfortune that DUEM suffered with its motor meant that its car finished outside the official classification. Other UK representatives also found the going tough, with Cambridge University failing to complete the full distance under solar power, and Ardingly College finishing mid-table in the Challenger class.