SirMikan

Never saw anyone with a Chris Kilpatrick poster.

Edit: Kirkpatrick. Leaving original mistake for context.

If the Lucas wiring isn't smoking, something is wrong with your Jaaaaaaaag.

Not OP, but I follow this stuff pretty closely. Since 2005 there have been a number of regulation changes in order to improve competition and driveability. The cars have gotten smaller as have the solar arrays, and driver position changes that end up affecting aerodynamics. Since 2013 we've seen more catamaran cars because of a requirement for 4 wheels, though this year some more updates have made a narrow monohull car more viable. Drivers get to sit more upright now, and steering wheels and foot-operated pedals are mandatory, so it's more like driving a normal car, but the temp still gets pretty high.

Top teams are Nuon, Tokai, Michigan, Twente, and Punch. Advantage is in array efficiency, aerodynamic design quality, and race strategy. First is generally money related: Nuon and Michigan are using space-grade solar cells this year, which is out of reach for a lot of teams, and they also pay top dollar for quality encapsulation. Tokai has had exclusive access to the best silicon cells in the world with a sponsorship from Panasonic.

Aero design is a huge advantage, accounting for 70-80% of the power losses at speed. All top teams have incredible industry, alumni, and university resources for initial design and final characterization of their cars.

Proper characterization is crucial for a robust race strategy model in order to optimize the speed given weather and road conditions. Top teams also have meteorology resources to measure solar output and predict upcoming cloud conditions.

Lastly, they set up their timelines to ensure proper testing for reliability. Road stops are huge energy and time wastes, and trailering at any point due to a breakdown is a huge time penalty. They all keep the car consistently on the road.

Here's hoping they at least get better than 3rd and break the curse.

80 kg. If the driver is underweight then the vehicle must also carry ballast.