The University of Queensland's successful solar racing team is one of only three international teams to receive a special invitation and support from organisers to compete in the World Solar Rally in Akita, Japan from August 1-3.
Race organisers have offered student team members $5000 sponsorship towards the estimated $35,000 cost of transporting their vehicle SunShark and team members to the rally on the Japanese island of Honshu.
An estimated 250,000 people are expected to watch this year's race on the 31km Ogata-Mura sportsline course on land reclaimed from the sea. The previous Japanese race attracted 69 solar car entries and 97 solar-powered bicyles.
Last year, the students' entry SunShark became the first Australian vehicle to finish the Darwin-to-Adelaide 1996 World Solar Car Challenge.
Against 45 other international competitors, SunShark was fifth overall, and won the Challenge's General Motors Sunracer award for technical innovation and achievement. It was also recognised as the fastest entry in the silicon/lead-acid battery class.
University of Queensland solar racing project assistant and driving team member Caroline Airey said team members were surprised and honoured to receive the invitation to the Japanese event, and were told organisers were keen to see them make the rally.
'We will need the help of the Queensland public and Queensland business to get to Japan and race in front of such a large international audience,' she said.
'We would love to hear from anyone who could assist us to reach this goal.'
Ms Airey said she anticipated that the misty summer Japanese weather would not prove a major problem for the vehicle.
'SunShark is very well designed - its main advantage is its reliability,' she said.
The 78 solar racing team members (with a core of 16 students) include students from the Departments of Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mining, Minerals and Materials Engineering, Journalism, Economics and Commerce, and School of Information Technology.
Team members are giving SunShark a complete overhaul both for Akita and for the 1998 World Solar Challenge in Australia.
Design team members Ben Guymer and Phil Moncrieff are developing carbon-composite wheels to replace the alloy motorcycle rims used last year. The new wheels are expected to reduce wind resistance and weigh as much as 2.5kilograms less (30 percent of the original weight) which will help extend battery endurance.
Other improvements are expected to include installation of a crash bar, lowering of the driver canopy profile, and re-design of the suspension, the brakes and the telemetry system.
Queensland power generator Austa Electric has recently provided $15,000 seed funding to facilitate SunShark's continued development. Much of this money will be allocated to a refit of the car's secondary electrical circuitry to improve reliability and efficiency.
The University's Alumni Association has also donated $3000 for promotion and administration.
People wishing to help get the team to Japan can contact the University of Queensland solar racing team, telephone 07 3365 3771; fax 07 3365 4999, or write to PO Box 69, St Lucia, 4067. The SunShark World Wide Web site is: http://www.uq.edu.au/~zzmrobin/sunshark/
