2006 World Solar Rally in Taiwan

Registration Regulations Inspection	Racing Accommodations Insurance	Other Questions updated!

What does the entry fee cover? The entry fee covers the accommodation, meals, reception, award banquet, one support car, and souvenirs (t-shirt, caps, backpack, badge, etc) for 8 people.

What is required for Vehicle and Battery Data Sheets? We prefer manufacturer's values, but estimates will be accepted. During inspection, we will go by the information you give us.

What if our school does not allow electronic payments? We will accept money orders and traveler's checks.

How many teams are participating in this event? We hope to have more than 15 teams attending this event! As of now, we have teams from the Taiwan, United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, and Iran. We are still awaiting confirmation from teams in Germany and Turkey.

We need more than 1 support car, where can we rent one? Currently the registration fee only covers one support car. We are currently in negotiations with a sponsor that can provide car for participating teams, but this is far from a guarantee. If we cannot get this sponsor, you can request extra cars/vans. It costs about $800 for an 8-9 person van for 7 days.
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Why is there a 100 cm height requirement? The height requirement is for safety reasons. If your car does not meet the requirement, we can add a fin to the canopy to reach the minimum height.

Is an independent battery system allowed in addition to the 18kg battery pack if it is not essential to the running of the vehicle? Yes, if the system is in accordance with the 2005 North American Solar Challenge regulations, it should be fine.

To what angles must the driver be able to see? The driver must be able to see clearly in all directions. Compliance with the 2005 North American Solar Challenge regulations is more than sufficient.

Do we need to follow speed limits? During untimed stages, you should follow the posted speed limits. During timed stages, there will be no speed limit.

Because the solar panel has to be fixed to the solar car during the Rally, can we use a jack to make an angle for the car to get more sun? No, all wheels have to stay on flat ground.
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Will the power switch be examine under test conditions? The power switch will be inspected along with the technical data sheet provided.

How is the solar array measured? The array is measured by the total area of individual cells.

Are there any technical specifications for the array? No..

Are there other mechanical tests performed? No, just the figure 8 and braking tests. The circuit race before the rally will prove the stability and performance of the solar car..
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Will the Circuit Race be counted in the timing or starting order at all? The placing in the circuit race will determine the order during the rally. During the timed stages, the orders can change according to time placements.

What is the total distance? The total distance traveled will be about 580.8 km including eight timed stages. The timed stages total distance is about 64.2 km.

Will we have a problem driving in Taiwan? You should have no problems driving in Taiwan. All of the traffic signs should be similar to other countries. The route that we will be traveling will not have as much traffic. Also, we will provide a volunteer to guide and translate for your team.

If we arrive early, can we train our drivers on part of the route? Yes.

Which side does people drive on in Taiwan? Right.

Will the race be on a restricted course? During timed stages, we will have traffic blocked off. During the rest of the route, we will be traveling with regular traffic. Although, police will block off intersections when solar cars are crossing.

How will the transition between un-timed and timed stages work? There will be one team allowed on the timed stage at any given time. Other teams will wait until the car in front has finished.

When can we charge our batteries? Every team will have 6 hours total each day during the rally to charge batteries; any time before and after the rally ends is prohibited.

Can we charge our batteries before the rally starts? After the Circuit Race and before the Rally, teams are allowed to charge their batteries to full using a power supply.
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Are we staying in Kaohsiung City the whole time? No, there will be 2 or 3 nights where we will be staying in other cities.

Will there be a place to store our luggage when we move from one place to another? You can leave extra luggage at the hotel (luggage check-in service), or we will provide a locked storage area at our school.

Where can my team store our solar car? The Workshop in the Department of Mold and Die in the National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences will be available from September 12, (or earlier by arrangement).

Where can we store our solar car when staying at other cities? There will be a private parking lot with security guards near the hotel.
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Where do we get insurance for our cars and drivers? Insurance will be taken care of on the first day of registration on September 15th. We will provide all the information you need.

What do we need to bring for proof of licensing and/or insurance for the race? You will need a valid international license or JAF license, plus a photo ID or passport.
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What is the power output from the wall in Taiwan? The power output in Taiwan is the same as the US. Although many of the outlets do not have the 3rd prong. You can bring adapters, or you can buy them at local stores.

Where would we retake possession of our vehicle after shipping? We will move the shipping container to KUAS after team members have arrived.

Why does the shipping containers need to arrive by Sept. 1st? Because of customs delays, it is recommended to have shipping containers arrive by Sept. 1st.

How early can the shipping containers be sent? We will accept solar cars any time after July 1st, as long as they are in wooden containers.

What is the structure for Sept. 21st? There will be an afternoon ceremony and dinner. Demonstrations can be arranged if requested. You can use the rest of the time to enjoy Taiwan!

How do we visit Taipei ? Anyone that comes to Taiwan has to visit Taipei! The most cost efficient and convenient way to get there is by train. One-way tickets are usually about $24 US. You can find fare and schedule information at http://www.railway.gov.tw/e_index.htm.

We can't speak Chinese! What do we do? There will be one or two volunteer translators for each team. They will be part of your group for the whole week.
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