University of Minnesota to host start of cross-country solar car competition
Festivities also include a track race in Brainerd and public showcase of solar cars on the Twin Cities campus
MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (05/18/2026) — For the first time in its 33-year history, the University of Minnesota Twin Cities Solar Vehicle Project Team will welcome solar car teams from across the country to campus as the official starting line for the 2026 Electrek American Solar Challenge, one of the nation’s premier solar competitions.
The American Solar Challenge is a grueling, multi-day, 1,500-mile road competition from Minneapolis to Amarillo, Texas, July 25–Aug. 1, where cars are fueled by the sun. Competing teams must navigate real-world roads with inclines and slopes, traffic and changing weather conditions, demonstrating that sustainable transportation is no longer a futuristic idea — it’s already hitting the highway.
Before the cross-country competition begins, teams will put their vehicles and drivers to the test at the Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix at Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, Minn., July 21–23. The cars must complete a rigorous inspection to be approved to compete in the American Solar Challenge.
The public will also have a chance to see the cutting-edge solar-powered cars from all the competing teams up close during a special display day on the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus on July 24.
Where future engineers are built
The University of Minnesota team has spent the last two years designing and building its newest solar vehicle. The team will compete in the multi-occupant class for cars that hold at least two people. Nearly 50 student team members have collectively invested more than 40,000 hours bringing the car from concept to reality.
Previous University of Minnesota teams have had a long history of success. They have won the Formula Sun Grand Prix five times and won the American Solar Challenge in 2022. But for the students, the competition is about far more than winning. It’s about learning, problem-solving and working together as a team.
“As a leader on this team, I’ve had some successes in helping build this team and our newest car, but I’ve also made some major mistakes,” said Josh Langan, the team captain for the American Solar Challenge and computer engineering major. “I’ve learned that failure is just part of the process. In fact, if you build something and think it works perfectly the first time, you’ve probably overlooked something. Eventually, that forgotten piece will fail somewhere on the side of the road, and you won’t know how to fix it. But if you’ve already fixed it three times before, you’ll be able to get back on the road a lot faster.”
Current team members credit the students who came before them for helping shape the program’s culture of mentorship and collaboration.
“We've said time and time again that our team alumni are very important to us,” said Siena Kersten, the team’s solar array manager and chemical engineering major. “My first year on the team, I was definitely clueless. Cooper, who was the solar array lead before me, has pretty much taught me everything I know. With time and practice, I learned and started gaining a lot of confidence in myself to become a leader on the team.”
That learning process also includes preparing for the unexpected.
“Over the past year, we've had a lot of issues with getting certain materials and parts imported into the country,” said Himal Trivedi, the team’s director of operations and a computer science and economics major. “We were working around the clock to find alternate vendors or redo designs. We’re always planning for three or four scenarios simultaneously just in case things go wrong.”
Other team members say the Solar Vehicle Project gives them an opportunity to connect classroom concepts with real-world engineering challenges.
“We’re doing more than just building a solar car,” said Cole Lundequam, the team’s director of engineering and a materials science and engineering major. “We are building future engineers.”
Partners driving innovation
The University of Minnesota Solar Vehicle Project team is supported by dozens of individuals and industry partners. From their time to their products to the financial support necessary for competition, the team’s sponsors make building a solar car from the ground up a possibility.
Past platinum sponsors include: Clifford I. & Nancy C. Anderson, Robert K. Eddy, Altair, Altium, Ansys, Siemens, Thermo King and Xcel Energy. See a full list of past sponsors.
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