Warm Weather Threatens Arctic Ice Challenge

International solar car scheduled to drive on ice road over Arctic Ocean in jeopardy due to unusually warm weather 

On April 10, The Power of One (XOF1) solar car, partly sponsored by TELUS World of Science – Edmonton,  is scheduled to drive on one of the longest ice roads in the world, which runs between Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories.  The international team will embark on this expedition on Saturday the 10^th and return to Inuvik on Sunday the 11^th after recharging the solar car batteries using only the power of the sun. 

Current weather forecasts for a high of 3°C on the 11^th may compromise the Ice Challenge. Warm temperatures can deteriorate ice road conditions causing deep-water puddles to form.  Due to the abnormal warm weather, many of the ice roads across Canada have been closed, in some places leaving drivers stranded. Historically, the ice road between Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk has never closed before April 15^th. 

The seasonal ice road covers 187 km (116 miles) over the frozen Mackenzie River and the Arctic Ocean.   Extreme weather and uncompromising landscape will add to the exciting challenge. This is considered the greatest challenge on the planet for any electric vehicle.

“XOF1 is an electric car, but instead of plugging into the wall to charge the batteries we plug into the sun.  The Ice Challenge represents the greatest challenge on the planet for a solar car, both machine and human will be pushed to their limits” says solar car driver Marcelo da Luz.  XOF1 became the first solar car to reach the Arctic Circle using only sunshine as fuel. To date XOF1 logged 35,750km (22,000miles), more than double the previous world distance record for a solar car. 

For more information, visit www.XOF1.com