The Sasol Solar Challenge is pleased to announce that Seiletsatsi from the University of Central Technology has won the Citizen Eco-Drive wristwatch. The Citizen Eco-Drive wristwatch is a high-tech watch, which generates energy – using an inbuilt solar cell – not just from direct sunlight but artificial light too.
“We are excited to have won the Citizen Eco-Drive watch,” said Seiletsatsi team leader, Dr.Rangith Kuriakose. “As a team, we will mostly be in direct sunlight while we drive to the finish line. As we do this, the watch will be charging from the sunlight and ready to use throughout the eight-day challenge. The efficiency offered by the Citizen Eco-Drive watch will come in handy in timing our driving while we rack-up kilometres to the finish line.”
Citizen Watches is a leader in cutting-edge technology and known for producing high quality, reliable and precise timepieces. The brand’s experience of invention and improvement makes it the best supporter of the solar car teams who are required to do the same with their solar cars.
“We are proud to support the teams as they continue to be innovative and making positive contribution towards saving the environment and creating a sustainable future, something which aligns with our brand,” said Citizen Watches SA. “Our belief at Citizen is ‘better start now’, which means that its always possible to make something better and that now is the time to start doing it. The solar car teams have started developing and shaping the future of mobility not only in South Africa but globally.”
Sasol Solar Challenge director and owner Robert Walker said, “We are grateful to Citizen Watches for supporting the solar car teams. The Sasol Solar Challenge and Citizen Watches both have a strong desire to push the limits of STEM. We hope that the Eco-Drive wristwatch will help team Seiletsatsi keep their time management in check as they drive down to the finish line in Cape Town.”
About Sasol Solar Challenge
The Sasol Solar Challenge is in its fourteenth year. It is a biennial competition that strives to be the ultimate test of technology and innovation. Local and international teams conceptualise, design and build solar-powered vehicles to drive across South Africa in an eight-day event while competing against each other, demonstrating and showcasing their design, manufacturing, and strategy skills. The challenge runs on public roads, sharing space with trucks and regular traffic, and passes through multiple small towns.
About Citizen Watches
Founded in 1918, Citizen is a global watch brand with operations in over 100 countries around the world. The company produces watches that feature a range of technologies, among these achievements is Eco-Drive, an original light-driven technological breakthrough. Eco-Drive technology harnesses the power of light – from any natural or artificial light source and converts it into energy. Since this ground breaking innovation, Citizen has introduced many new technologies including its Super Titanium material, Radio-Controlled timekeeping for a high degree of accuracy, Satellite Wave GPS to show the correct time no matter where the user is in the world, all powered by Citizens proprietary light-powered Eco-Drive technology. Citizen is also partnered with Disney to produce watches themed on Marvel, Star Wars, and other Disney properties.