Tired of driving that gas guzzler? Come out on October 6th-8th at the Florida Solar Energy Center in Cocoa, as they host the SunDay Challenge, promoting alternative energy technologies. Come out and see electric cars and alternative fuel powered vehicles as they show off their stuff and compete. This is an education EV-ent, all are welcome.
The free event includes performance testing, autocross, workshops and a popular road rally. All types of powered vehicles from solar, fuel cell, electric and hybrid will participate. Visitors to FSEC will be able to see vehicles that are prototypes of future car technologies as well as many available alternative fuel models.
The goal of the three-day event is to educate people about alternative fuel vehicles and to promote alternative energy technologies. The event showcases and promotes alternative energy technologies to power vehicles of the future to solve our transportation energy and air quality problems.
In the spirit of automotive innovation, the SunDay Challenge was created in 1991 to educate people about alternative fuel vehicles and that there is another choice for automotive fuel besides gasoline and petroleum diesel. The event showcases and promotes alternative energy technologies to power vehicles of the future to solve our transportation energy and air quality problems. Vehicles powered by electricity, solar, ethanol, biomass, bio-diesel, hydrogen, natural gas, propane and other renewable energy sources will compete in this multi-activity event. Though some vehicles are prototypes of future car technologies being tested, many are viable commercially available vehicles. A road rally is the main event, but the autocross and educational activities provide an exchange of ideas and product information.
Other partners who’ve helped to bring this event to central Florida include Florida Institute of Technology, the Florida Electric Auto Association and the Space Coast Clean Cities Coalition.
Saturday, October 6
The event begins at 10:30 am on Saturday, with performance testing and the autocross at FSEC. Public tours of FSEC will also be available at 10 and 11 am and again at 1 and 2 pm.
Sunday, October 7
On Sunday, from 11 am to 4 pm is the popular Road Rally. The rally features electric and other alternative fuel vehicles traveling from FSEC in Cocoa to the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne.
Monday, October 8
An electric drive and hybrid vehicle workshop closes out the event on Monday from 9 am to 4 pm at FSEC. On-site registration begins at 9 am.
For more information about the SunDay Challenge, visit www.SunDayChallenge.org or contact
The Florida Solar Energy Center is a research institute of the University of Central Florida located at UCF’s Cocoa campus, shared with Brevard Community College. It is the largest and most active state-supported energy research institute in the country. Center divisions and their research activities include Advanced Energy Research: alternative transportation systems, hydrogen fuel and fuel cells; Buildings Research: energy-efficient buildings; and Solar Energy: solar water and pool heating and solar electric (photovoltaics) and distributed generation systems.
For more information about the center, visit www.floridaenergycenter.org or call the FSEC Public Affairs Office at 321-638-1015.