The Tour De Sol, which was originally a Solar Car event, has gradually opened up to electric cars, hybrid cars, and for the first time an Ethanol Vehicle Category was created for 2001.
The competition ran from May 19th-26th, beginning in Waterbury, CT and finishing in Boston, MA. The first two days of the competition involved all vehicle entries facing scrutinizing technical testing including a safety examination, practicality and display board evaluations, and slalom, acceleration and braking performance events.
Following the technical testing, UWAFT's Chevrolet Silverado was in first place, giving our truck poll position for the beginning of the Tour.
Each leg of the Tour, which started early in the morning and ended mid afternoon, was strictly monitored for fuel economy. The total fuel consumed by each vehicle was measured following each leg and fuel economy was calculated. The afternoons while on Tour were spent educating school classes and the general public on the benefits of Ethanol and other alternative fuels.
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2001 Tour De Sol |