The SINAG (Tagalog for sun ray), based in De La Salle University in the Philippines, is the first Philippine solar-powered race car and the first entry of the Philippines to the World Solar Challenge.
The solar car was inaugurated on January 27, 2007, at NBC Tent, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig.[1]
The design and construction was undertaken by a group of faculty and students from the Mechanical Engineering Department and the Electronics and Communications Engineering Department of De La Salle University. They also had the help and partnership of Ford Group Philippines, San Miguel Corporation, Motolite, Shell, SunPower, Philippine Airlines and Ventus.[2]
The solar panels used by the Sinag solar–powered car was manufactured by SunPower. The body of the car was made of carbon fibers and with the Philippine colors.
The official weight of Sinag is 295 kg (650 lb).
The Philippine team finished 12th place from 40 participants. The team finished the 3,021 km (1,877 mi) race from Darwin to Adelaide at 4 p.m. on October 27, 2007 (Australian time).
Sinag performed exceptionally well from the beginning of the race in Darwin on Sunday, October 21. Needing only minor adjustments to its brake system, Sinag quickly zoomed to 11th place. The team maintained this position and made excellent time, passing the halfway mark at Alice Springs on Wednesday, October 24, and breaching the 2,000 km mark at Cadney Homestead the following day, October 25.
The SINAG solar car arrived at the finish line of the World Solar Challenge (WSC) with over a day to spare.[3] SINAG arrived in Adelaide at around 4pm, well before the 5pm cut-off for the day. SINAG Technical Head Engr. Rene Fernandez proclaimed “The Philippine flag has reached Adelaide!” as the car crossed the finish line, greeted by a small crowd of Filipino well-wishers carrying small flags of their own.
The all-Filipino Team SINAG was warmly welcomed by the Lord Mayor of Adelaide Michael Harbison and by Hans Tholstrup himself, the founder of the WSC and the first person to cross Australia in a solar car, The Quiet Achiever. Team SINAG also got to meet the members of the Nuon Solar Team from the Delft University of Technology, the multiple successive winners of the WSC.
The Netherlands' Nuon Solar Team, with their car called Nuna4 won the overall championship finishing the race on Oct. 25.
In Senate Resolution No. 32, the all-Filipino team of Sinag was congratulated for their exemplary performance in the 2007 World Solar Challenge.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo also cited and recognized in Malacañan Palace the team for a job well done.
Mechanical Team
Electrical Team
Shell Team
CAD Team
Drivers
Marketing Team