
668 Solar Bicycles, Mercedes, Handcuffs—PlusEnergy Buildings
Figure 44.4 Dr. Fredy Sidler, head of the School of Engineering Biel at the
left; the technical director Ren
´
e Jeanneret on the right.
motors increased velocity and rendered the solar race cars even
more attractive. The competition for the Swiss School of Engineering
Biel was getting bigger, but in 1986 it won the 382 km long Tour
de Sol with a total difference in altitude of 1851 m in 7 hours and
42 minutes. This corresponded to an average speed of 50 km/h.
“Without the break-downs lasting up to an hour, the average speed
could have been 57 km/h”, reported the victory-addicted technical
director ...