A different kind of roadtrip
August 2015
News
A group of students and lecturers from the University of Johannesburg were on a roadtrip of a different kind when they travelled over 4000 km through Namibia and Botswana at the end of June to test out their solar powered car. Mechanical engineering lecturer at the Energy Movement lab, Nickey Janse van Rensburg says that the Ilanga II can do up to 140 km/h.
The aerodynamic lines of the orange and white Ilanga II drew delighted crowds along the way. The Solar Car Project promotes the study and development of efficient energy use, environmental awareness, energy management and innovative engineering. The solar panels on top of the vehicle are similar to those that powered the Mars Rover. The Ilanga II’s tool box is a 3D printer to replace parts needed for running repairs. It has already produced the steering interface, buttons, battery holder and brackets for the roof panel.
The Ilanga II is UJ’s third solar-powered car. The team hopes to take her to next year’s Sasol Solar Car Challenge where the Ilanga 1.1 previously won the Technology and Innovation award. Local and international solar car developers compete in that race between Pretoria and Cape Town.
The Ilanga II is being used to research and develop sustainable and green engineering that can be used in the real world. The team already has plans to introduce the technology to power village pumps.
For more information contact Nickey Janse Van Rensburg, University of Johannesburg, +27 (0)11 559 2538, [email protected], www.ujsolar.co.za
Further reading:
Schneider Electric to become Official Energy Technology Partner of McLaren Racing
Schneider Electric South Africa
News
Schneider Electric will become the Official Energy Technology Partner of McLaren Racing.
Read more...
Closing the skills gap: how WearCheck training boosts asset reliability
Wearcheck
News
Condition monitoring specialist company, WearCheck is tackling the skills gap head on, offering a wide range of practical, hands-on courses that cover various topics related to condition monitoring and maintenance.
Read more...
Young SA scientists awarded medals at IRIS Global Symposium in India
News
Young local scientists have been awarded gold and silver medals at the recent Initiative for Research and Innovation in STEM global symposium in India, where they displayed their scientific brilliance.
Read more...
60 day reduction in Kriel outage earns Eskom innovation award for Steinmüller Africa
News
Steinmüller Africa’s crane-free rigging solution has shortened the Kriel Unit 6 outage by 60 days, earning the company’s site team the 2025 Eskom Kriel Managers Award for innovation.
Read more...
Buyout model for solar investment
News
Sustainable Power Solutions has introduced a buyout model that converts existing solar and battery systems into immediate capital for South African businesses.
Read more...
Innovation award for Beckhoff’s XTS machine
Beckhoff Automation
News
The Premio Innovazione award has confirmed that Tetra Pak’s Cap Applicator 40 Speed Hyper has achieved a machine solution that pushes the boundaries of conventional packaging lines with a highly dynamic mechatronic solution based on XTS technology from Beckhoff.
Read more...
Vision meets reality at the Africa Automation Indaba
News
At the Africa Automation Indaba 2026, the panel ‘Automation for Africa – Opportunities, Challenges and Next Steps’ will feature a rare, high-level exchange where technology, ethics, entrepreneurship and data-driven reality shape what comes next for the continent.
Read more...
From the editor's desk: A tool not a crutch
Technews Publishing (SA Instrumentation & Control)
News
Every year, the dictionaries try to summarise a year of human behaviour with a single word, the word of the year. You can question the value of this, but it’s quite entertaining. Words are important,
...
Read more...
Timken funds Kids Haven STEM classroom
News
A bright new chapter in digital education has begun at Kids Haven with the official opening of a fully equipped STEM classroom at the Kids Haven Village. This exciting addition was generously donated by Timken South Africa and expertly installed by Breadline Africa.
Read more...
Technology trends that will and won’t shape 2026
News
A whitepaper by ABI Research shows that a clear trend is taking shape, and 2026 is set to be characterised by practical, outcome-driven change.
Read more...
printer friendly version