EV test drive offer for World Solar Challenge
The Darwin to Adelaide solar care race and its city village program will return post-COVID, with South Australians invited to get in the driver’s seat of an electric vehicle.
The Agoria Solar Team celebrates their Challenger class win in 2019.
The World Solar Challenge sees teams from across the globe race 3000 kilometres from Darwin to Adelaide in self-engineered solar-powered vehicles.
The traditionally biennial event will resume for the first time since 2019, with drivers leaving Darwin on October 22 before travelling through the nations’ heart and crossing the finish line at Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga.
RAA and the World Solar Challenge say the event will include an RAA electric vehicle drive experience.
Event director Chris Selwood said people can book a free 15-minute test drive of BYD, BMW, Porsche, MG, Ford, Nissan, Hyundai and Kia electric vehicles.
“South Australians will be able to explore one of the largest, in-market, electric vehicle displays, get behind the wheel of an electric vehicle and take it for a spin, along with the cutting edge solar electric cars from this year’s Challenge,” he said.
“The only prior knowledge they’ll need is a driver’s licence.
“The dealers will explain the controls of the cars because clearly if we’re used to, like me, a crusty old bloke who’s been driving motorcars for 60 years, I expect things to be in certain places.”
Electric bikes and scooters as well as other cars will be on display.
RAA CEO Nick Reade said experts at the drive experience marquee will be available to discuss home solar and battery systems and home EV charging solutions with attendees.
“The RAA Drive Experience is the perfect opportunity for people to test drive an EV and become more familiar with the vehicles that are shaping our transport future,” he said.
The village program will also include an interactive innovation hub, build-your-own experiences by Horizon Educational, Cruiser Class (a category of car that must complete three 1200km stages of the race without recharging) judging, and climate, energy and EV expert panels.
The village will be open to the public from Thursday October 26 until Sunday October 29, and the RAA EV drive experience from Friday until Sunday.
The public can sign up for a drive experience here.
The race will begin in Darwin on Sunday, October 22.
