DailyTech - Dutch Team Wins Solar Vehicle Challenge

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Science Dutch Team Wins Solar Vehicle Challenge
Michael Hoffman (Blog) - October 28, 2007 12:18 AM

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12 comment(s) - last by JonnyDough.. on Oct 29 at 11:55 PM

The University of Michigan Continuum (Source: University of Michigan Engineering)

Nuna4 finishes the challenge in first place (Source: World Solar Challenge)

Delft University crossed the finish line in first place

Race officials confirmed entry car "Nuna4" won last week's 2007 World Solar Challenge with a time of 33 hours and 17 minutes - an average pace of 92.07 km/h. The Dutch team traveled the final 760 kilometers of the race in eight hours.

Team Nuon Solar has won the race four times and is the current race record holder with a time of 29 hours and 11 minutes. The race is focused more on how far a car can go on limited energy over how fast the vehicle was able to move.

"It feels fantastic. Absolutely fantastic," said Oliver van der Meer, Nuna4 car driver. "I mean we work so hard for this. Our heart, blood, sweat and tears are in that car."

The World Solar Challenge is a 3,000 kilometer international solar powered-car adventure challenge from Darwin, Australia to Adelaide.

Rule changes for the 20th anniversary means the Nuon Solar Team's time will again own a new world record for the race. The biggest change was that all cars this year could have up to six square meters of solar panels, a two-meter size reduction from previous challenges.

The Dutch team headed into Angle Vale with a comfortable lead over the second place Umicore Solar Team's Umicar Infinity vehicle, which completed the race in 34 hours and 36 minutes. The Australian Aurora 101 finished third with a time of 35 hours and 17 minutes. The Aussie team was proud of their accomplishment because the teams that beat them "spent over $700,000 for the solar cells alone, the type of cells they use in space."

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There's only two things...

By daftrok on 10/29/2007 12:59:44 AM , Rating: 3

There's only two things I hate in this world. People who are intolerant of other people's cultures... and the Dutch.

RE: There's only two things...

By wordsworm on 10/29/07, Rating: -1

RE: There's only two things...

By Etsp on 10/29/2007 7:42:57 AM , Rating: 3

He was joking. He was directly quoting a line from the 3rd Austin Powers movie. Although, I am not sure if that line was there in the dutch version or not, so I can understand the possible confusion. I'm sure he meant no offense. =D

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RE: There's only two things...

By DeepBlue1975 on 10/29/2007 8:48:53 AM , Rating: 1

Yours has to be a joke, too, as I refuse to believe that there can be people incapable of getting the most obvious jokes. (My refusal doesn't prevent me from finding such kind of people every day and everywhere, though)

Sense of humour is not some horrid, evil thing, you know?

It was a very obvious and blunt harmlessly ironical joke.

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RE: There's only two things...

By wordsworm on 10/29/2007 6:02:22 PM , Rating: 2

I think I said as much. For your sake, I used dictionary.com so you could know what I meant by 'jesting.'

Jest: 1. a joke or witty remark; witticism.

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RE: There's only two things...

By Dutch SandMan on 10/29/2007 6:45:25 AM , Rating: 3

Can't hack it that we are better then?
Haha.... 4 times in a row!
Seems we cant be beaten. Maybe next year!

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RE: There's only two things...

By Polynikes on 10/29/2007 12:53:36 PM , Rating: 2

quote:
Seems we cant be beaten.

Things are not always as they seem.

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RE: There's only two things...

By JonnyDough on 10/29/2007 11:49:44 PM , Rating: 1

Yeah. Nobody thought the United States could win in Hockey at the Olympics against the Russians either until we recruited some Russian hockey players and kicked their Russian asses in the 1980s. :-P

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RE: There's only two things...

By JonnyDough on 10/29/2007 11:55:15 PM , Rating: 1

At least, I THINK it was in the 80s. It's not as if I actually watch the Olympics, or hockey. It's like dog shows and barrel racing. Not many people actually get excited about these types of things. But hey, if you're one of those people that do, feel free to mark me down. The ranking system is a joke.

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