The Scope of this rally:

To demonstrate that renewable energy is a technology available today for transportation.
 

The dates:

From Thursday, May 24, 2001 to Sunday, May 27, 2001.

Program: (distances are approximate)
Day 1  (7 km in one stage)
        Morning: vehicle verification and security tests.
        Afternoon: Prologue around the town of Odeillo.

Day 2    (70 km in two stages)
        Morning: Odeillo - Puy Valador
        Link stage by car from Puy Valador to Col du Portel
        Afternoon: Col du Portel - Puivert - Lavelanet - Dun.

Day 3   (70 km in two stages)
         Morning: Dun - ST Amadou - Mazère
         Afternoon: Mazère - Nailloux - Coronsac - Aureville

Day 4 (25 km in one stage)
        Aureville - Castanet Tolosan - Cité de l'Espace in Toulouse

The rally takes place on small or medium size roads open to normal traffic. There will be a competition but it will not be  based on speed or arrival time.

All pilots will have a valid driver's licence and give a good image of solar energy by their behaviour on the road.

Registration is free (sponsored by Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

For the 3-wheel and 4-wheel vehicles: up to four pilots will be allowed per team.
For the 2-wheel vehicles. Three pilots per team are allowed.

The registration comprises:
    One dinner at the arrival.
    Solar electricity distributed from grid-tied photovoltaic systems (230V, 50 Hz).
    A special licence plate valid for the rally,
    Shop accommodation and secure night parking for the vehicles
    Help in finding accommodation for the teams.

The participants to the rally will have a valid insurance for the damages their vehicle could cause. They will follow the usual driving rules in France. They will drive their solar vehicles only on the rally route, at the authorised hours during the day.
For security, the rally organising committee will have "following" vehicles for each team..

Vehicle specification:

The 3 and 4-wheel vehicles will have blinkers, hazards, brake lights, horn, safety belts, rear view mirror.

The 2-wheel vehicle drivers will wear appropriate helmets.

Break performance required (will be tested):
stop in 15 m at 30 km/h
stop in 40 m at 50 km/h
stop in 75 m at 70 km/h, if the vehicle gets to this speed.

Pilots will have to be able to get out of their vehicle in less than 30 s without help.

The rally organising committee will proceed to the tests at the departure site near Odeillo.

The engine and battery storage should be appropriately ventilated and separated from the habitable area in the vehicle.

3 or 4 wheel vehicles: If a pilot weights less than 60 kg, additional weight will be taken in order to bring the transported mass to a minimum of 60 kg.

For the 2-wheel vehicles:
Maximum vehicle weight: 100 kg.
No pilot minimum weight limit.

Energy:

Will be allowed on the vehicle: solar electricity from embarked solar panels or solar electricity from grid-tied panels (recharging batteries during stops). The distributed energy will be measured and taken into amount. It will be 230V, 50 Hz AC. Competitors will have to bring an appropriate battery charger. They will not need to carry it in the rally vehicle.

For all vehicles: muscular power supplement is allowed. It will not account for more than 50% of the available on board power. Persons parcticing a sport at high level will not be allowed in the rally.

Batteries:
For the sun racers : 5 kWh Max storage, that is:
Pb-acid 125 kg
NiCd      00 kg
NiZn       75 kg
AgZn      40 kg
NiMH     71 kg
Li-ion     36 kg

For the converted standard 4-wheel vehicles :
30% of the total vehicle weight, independent of the battery type.

For the 2-wheel vehicles : not more than 30 kg and not more than 50% of the vehicle weight.

Batteries will not be replaced during the rally. They will be easily checkable.

The energy distributed will be limited to 10 kWh per stage for the 3 and 4-wheel vehicles, and 1 kWh per stage for the 2-wheel vehicles.

Sponsors:

They are to the free choice of the participants. However, there should be no mention of tobacco or alcohol brands, and political or religious propaganda, on any item or person related to the rally.

Competition:

There will be a competition. Speed or arrival order will not be taken into account. There will be five categories:

sun racers
converted cars
solar carts, small cars (less than 100 kg)
solar motorbikes (more than 50 kg)
solar bicycles (less than 50 kg)

In each category, there will be a merit classification based as follows. All points add up, all track events are optional, except the security tests.

Reliability: one point per kilometre achieved on the rally route.

Brake performance: one point per meter gained at the security tests, with regard to the maximum allowed braking distance.

Slope performance: 1 point for each 20 meters in altitude achieved during the "uphill specials"

Bad weather resistance: 20 points for crossing a specially arranged "wet road area" Max water depth 15 cm, Max length 20 m, Max speed allowed: 15 km/h. Rainy conditions will be arranged if necessary.

Energy efficiency: one distributed kWh costs 5 points.

Prizes:

Original awards in relation with solar energy will be distributed to the winners. The financial value of the prizes is still not frozen. It will be from 70 Euros to 700 Euros per prize, depending on the sponsorship.

The jury will comprise:
three  students of ENSEEIHT,
two teachers at ENSEEIHT or executives at CNRS
two members of the "Phébus Ariege" association
two executives from the "cité de l'espace" museum
two persons from the local community authority

If people disagree on the interpretation of the rally rules, the jury decides.

Contacts :       www.rallye-phebus.fr.fm

Mélanie Déjardin Résidence Prestige Appart 501 11 rue de Saint-Aubin 31000
Toulouse France
melanie.dejardin@etu.enseeiht.fr

Phebus Ariège Le Ploumail 09600 Dun France Tel et fax : 00 33 5 61 68 62 17

http://www.phebus-ariege.org/

Laurent Koechlin Sauveterre 31320 Aureville France
Tel : 00 33 5 61 76 75 91 (soir) Tel : 00 33 5 61 33 28 87 (hb)

http://webast.ast.obs-mip.fr/people/koechlin/