İTÜ ZES Solar Car Team Achieves Major Success

İTÜ ZES Solar Car Team Achieves Major Success

The 'İTÜ ZES Solar Car Team', supported by Zorlu Enerji's next-generation technology brand ZES, placed in the top three at the iLumen European Solar Challenge, a solar car race held at the former F1 circuit Circuit Zolder in Belgium, achieving a significant accomplishment. Zorlu Enerji supports the İTÜ ZES Solar Car Team (İTÜ ZES GAE) in line with its sustainability-focused approach directed at the areas of environment, society and governance. Representing Turkey on the international stage, the İTÜ ZES Solar Car Team placed in the top three at the European Solar Car Race (iLumen European Solar Challenge).

İTÜ ZES Solar Car Team Places in Top Three at F1 Circuit Circuit Zolder

At the 24-Hour Stage of the European Solar Car Race held between 17-18 September 2022 at Circuit Zolder, the former F1 circuit in Belgium and one of the most challenging and prestigious events, the İTÜ ZES Solar Car Team delivered an outstanding performance and achieved a placement in the 'European Solar Challenge' competition. The İTÜ ZES Solar Car Team set its new target as the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge 2023, the most prestigious and largest event in the solar-powered vehicle category. The İTÜ ZES Solar Car Team aims to place at the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in Australia in 2023, bringing great pride to the country. Dr. Alper Tolga Çalık, Advisor to the İTÜ ZES Solar Car Team, evaluated the team's success and noted that they prepared for the race with great dedication and discipline, emphasizing that this success was the reward for the hard work put in.

Third Team to Complete Most Laps with 257 Laps

Çalık stated: "The goal of sending a message to future generations that a better world is possible, with which we participated in this major event with 'ARIBA ZES X', was a great source of motivation for us. I believe it played a major role in the success we achieved at the European Solar Car Race. We prepared the ARIBA ZES X, which we manufactured under Zorlu Enerji sponsorship last year, for the race after one year of development and all technical inspections. On the morning of 17 September, the İTÜ ZES Solar Car Team woke up with great racing excitement. The 24-Hour Race Stage began with the traditional pilot run. From the start of the race, ARIBA ZES X entered the pit area three times for technical inspection and twice for windscreen wiping, a total of 5 times, demonstrating a success of only 47 minutes in the pit. In the race where three one-hour charging rights were given, the team charged three times, spending a total of 155 minutes in the charging area. The team, which adapted tire selection to track conditions during the race held in heavy rain, moved ahead of many teams through this strategic move and continued the stage at the top positions. The İTÜ ZES Solar Car Team completed the race as the third team to complete the most laps with 257 laps, bringing great pride to the country. I thank our team, which gave our university this deserved pride, and the energy company that did not leave our team alone on this journey and believed in us from the very beginning," he said. Source