In a remarkable display of innovation and endurance, the University of Michigan solar car emerged as the top North American competitor in the 2025 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge. Racing under limited winter sunlight, the team completed their grueling four-day journey across 1,800 miles of the Australian Outback, finishing in Adelaide, Australia. The Wolverines secured seventh place overall in this prestigious solar car race.
The competition was fierce, with U-M battling closely against Tokai University and Western Sydney University for fifth and sixth places. On the race’s fourth day, both U-M and Tokai swapped positions frequently, reaching the final control stop in Glendambo just one minute apart.
Adverse weather conditions, including overcast skies and strong crosswinds, challenged the U-M team in the final stretch. They utilized their car’s innovative retractable aerodynamic fin to maintain stability and speed. The ‘Millennium’ car’s enhanced solar array, featuring sophisticated hardware and software, optimized power output by accessing each solar cell independently.
Despite their efforts, Tokai and Western Sydney overtook the Wolverines, with U-M completing the race 30 minutes behind Tokai and a minute behind Western Sydney. Canada’s Eclipse ETS, representing École de technologie supérieure in Montreal, also competed in the same class, finishing ninth, slightly over an hour after U-M.
Top teams from previous challenges maintained their dominance, with Dutch teams Brunel and Twente securing first and second places, followed by Belgium’s Innoptus. U-M Solar Car, a student-led engineering team, has a storied legacy, including ten American Solar Challenge victories and seven podium finishes in the World Solar Challenge. This team, one of the largest student organizations at the university, comprises over 170 students from various disciplines.
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