1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,920 Speaker 1: As we know, the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge began in 2 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:06,280 Speaker 1: Darwin on Sunday last week and the Belgian team was 3 00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:09,159 Speaker 1: the first to arrive in Adelaide yesterday, taking out that 4 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:12,639 Speaker 1: title with a time of thirty four hours, four minutes 5 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:16,319 Speaker 1: and forty one seconds. Now joining me on the line 6 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:19,919 Speaker 1: is one of the other teams, US Team Michigan in 7 00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:24,160 Speaker 1: austral and it wasn't far behind, well, was not far 8 00:00:24,239 --> 00:00:28,360 Speaker 1: behind them, and the team's project manager Will Jones joins 9 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 1: me on the line right now. 10 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:31,560 Speaker 2: Good morning to your. 11 00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:34,239 Speaker 3: Will, Good morning, how are you doing. 12 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:37,040 Speaker 1: I'm wonderful lovely to have you on the show. How 13 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:39,520 Speaker 1: are you going and how did it all go? 14 00:00:42,159 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 3: I'm doing well. It just went fantastic. You know. We 15 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:50,840 Speaker 3: had a great run from Darwin to Adelaide and ran 16 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:55,880 Speaker 3: in an extremely clean, extremely clean drive and you know 17 00:00:56,120 --> 00:00:58,680 Speaker 3: we're super grateful to have finish where we were and 18 00:00:58,800 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 3: it's just been a greet. 19 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:02,320 Speaker 2: Sure so will fourth place. 20 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 1: As I understand it was it pretty smooth, silent. 21 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:10,839 Speaker 3: You know for us, I think it was quite smooth sailing. 22 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:14,039 Speaker 3: It wasn't without its challenges. You know that the outback 23 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 3: is a harsh place between all the wind and the 24 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:22,319 Speaker 3: heat and the bugs and you know, camping every single night. 25 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:26,680 Speaker 3: But you know, the car was incredible. We only had 26 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:29,199 Speaker 3: the bowler once or twice to fiddle with a couple 27 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 3: of things, and we did have to change one tire, 28 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:35,880 Speaker 3: but all things considered, it it was it was a 29 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:36,920 Speaker 3: you know, smoother run. 30 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:40,520 Speaker 1: Well, tell me what was it like, you know, going 31 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:43,759 Speaker 1: through the Australian outback. I guess we're used to asha 32 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:46,160 Speaker 1: here in Darwin, but what was it like for you guys, 33 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:51,040 Speaker 1: particularly comparatively you know, to where you're from. 34 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 3: It's like nothing else, you know, and it's it's you know, 35 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:56,720 Speaker 3: just perfect roads for solar cars and you know, the 36 00:01:56,760 --> 00:02:00,880 Speaker 3: long straight stretches and the sunshine. And there were some 37 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 3: bush fires which were certainly very foreign to us and 38 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:08,080 Speaker 3: a little bit of a change and had us, you know, 39 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 3: need to be a little more careful. But you know, 40 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:13,440 Speaker 3: it's just beautiful out there and all that open sky 41 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 3: and open country and wildlife. It's just fantastic. 42 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:19,400 Speaker 2: Now, talk us through the car. 43 00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:22,679 Speaker 1: What does yours look like and what kind of technology 44 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:23,280 Speaker 1: is used? 45 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:28,120 Speaker 3: Yeah? Absolutely so the car, you know, it looks like 46 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:31,680 Speaker 3: nothing else on the road. It looks probably more in 47 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:34,000 Speaker 3: common with a boat than a regular road going car. 48 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:40,160 Speaker 3: It's bright yellow. There's a four meter squared solar array 49 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:43,360 Speaker 3: on the top of it. It has three wheels, there's 50 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:46,360 Speaker 3: two in the front, one in the back, and the 51 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:50,000 Speaker 3: whole thing is you know, super narrow the track with 52 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 3: and the distance from the left tire to the right 53 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:56,040 Speaker 3: tire is only about three quarters of a meter. It 54 00:02:56,800 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 3: it looks more like a bullet than a regular car. 55 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:03,880 Speaker 1: Are well, how much efforts and how much time goes 56 00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 1: into getting this car on the road and and being 57 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 1: part of the bridge Stone World Solar Challenge. 58 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:15,160 Speaker 3: It's it's a huge effort. You know, there's a full 59 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:18,640 Speaker 3: time team of us the beginning in May, and the 60 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:23,840 Speaker 3: design and engineering began last September, and there's a full 61 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:26,000 Speaker 3: there's a team of one hundred during the during the 62 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 3: school year, and then twenty one of us over the summer, 63 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:32,840 Speaker 3: and we worked night and day, you know, these these 64 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:35,560 Speaker 3: past few months to get this vehicle here, and it's 65 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:39,640 Speaker 3: you know a huge effort by so many people, and 66 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 3: you know, so many sacrifices to get this vehicle here 67 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 3: and and then to drive it down to Adelaide. 68 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:47,880 Speaker 2: What are some of the things that you've learned along 69 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 2: the why. 70 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 3: Uh, you know, I think the biggest thing our team 71 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:57,720 Speaker 3: takeaway from this is just practice makes perfect and we had, 72 00:03:57,800 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 3: you know, a lot of practice in a smooth run. 73 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:03,600 Speaker 3: But man, that practice was really hard initially. And you know, 74 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:06,160 Speaker 3: it's quite a complex thing to you know, not just 75 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 3: have the vehicle bit on the road, but have your 76 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 3: whole team and all your equipment and your camping gear 77 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:13,360 Speaker 3: and you know, be ready to roll on in the morning. 78 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:16,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, to be astronomical the amount of effort that goes 79 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:19,000 Speaker 1: into it, not just in terms of getting on the road, 80 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:21,880 Speaker 1: but as you said, then the whole process throughout the 81 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:27,240 Speaker 1: week and the camping and the the logistics of it all. 82 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:31,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, the logistics are certainly complex and you really can't 83 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:34,160 Speaker 3: mess those up if you want to be competitive. You know, 84 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:36,800 Speaker 3: everyone needs to be well fed and have a spot 85 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:38,520 Speaker 3: to put their head at night and sleep. 86 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:40,799 Speaker 2: Yeah, now tell me, do you reckon? 87 00:04:40,839 --> 00:04:42,720 Speaker 1: You guys are going to be back again next time 88 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:44,160 Speaker 1: to compete in the challenge? 89 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:47,960 Speaker 3: Oh? Absolutely. You know our team is already looking forward 90 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 3: to coming back in twenty twenty five. And you know, 91 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:54,520 Speaker 3: we fourth place. It was fantastic, but we certainly you know, 92 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:58,799 Speaker 3: would like the opportunity to earn a victory in the future. 93 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:02,599 Speaker 1: Well, Will Jones lovely to speak to you this morning, 94 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:05,719 Speaker 1: and congratulations and all the best and we'll see you 95 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:07,040 Speaker 1: back in twenty twenty five. 96 00:05:08,120 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 3: Hey, that sounds fantastic. Good thanking with you. 97 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:12,480 Speaker 2: Have a great day you too, Thanks so much.