Solar-Powered Car Catches Fire




(Tennant Creek, NT, Australia) During the World Solar Challenge across the parched central spine of Australia, a solar-powered car caught fire. According to an eyewitness:

Whilst we were setting up to charge the batteries with the array, we noticed some activity around another car. The batteries of Sikat II of Team Solar Phillipines caught fire and caused the surrounding area to be cleared, leaving us closest to the smouldering car.

Once the fire brigade arrived, the batteries were removed safely from the car. No one was injured and the team is still hoping to continue on the event.

Battery fire, eh?

Candidly, rather than testing on flat, arid land, I'm waiting for the solar car challenge in the mountains during snowy weather. I suspect that performance of the cars will suffer.