Twente University’s Top Dutch Solar Racing has won the 24h iLumen European Solar Challenge on the circuit of Zolder. The Belgian Innoptus Solar Team, run by KU Leuven students, came second in their BluePoint Atlas car, losing its European title.
Over the past weekend, the Belgian Zolder circuit was the place to be for solar race cars built by universities worldwide. It hosted the iLumen European Solar Challenge, the only 24-hour race for solar-powered cars run by university students. It was a record edition with 28 teams from 18 countries, and a total of 32 solar cars running on solar energy.
Exciting race
24 hours after Belgian Prince Laurent waved the starting flag, the Top Dutch Solar Racing team from the University of Twente finished first. It drove a total of 320 laps of the approximately 4-kilometer-long Belgian former F1 circuit.
The race was quite exciting, with changing weather conditions and a close battle between the Belgian team and the teams from Twente and the University of Aachen. In the end, the Innoptus Solar Team had to concede the victory after winning the Electrek American Solar Challenge earlier this year.
The team’s Bluepoint Atlas car started from the 12th position on the grid. It raced pretty consistently, without any major technical problems. Over the 24-hour race, Bluepoint Atlas drove 310 laps. It used only one of its three allowed stops to recharge the car’s battery, driving the rest of the race on power generated by its solar panel.
Innoptus Solar Team also ran a second car, the Infinite. It started from 9th place on the starting grid, but the car crashed in the early hours of Sunday morning, after 209 laps. It skidded on the wet surface, causing the car to roll onto its side. The driver was unhurt and managed to get the car back to the pits, but the team decided to withdraw because of structural damage.
Preparation for the World Solar Challenge
The iLumen European Solar Challenge is an interesting race on the solar racing calendar. A twisty circuit is more demanding from a technical point of view than a race with long straights. But it also gives teams the chance to fine-tune things like regenerative braking and tackle the circuit’s curves in cars that prioritize low rolling resistance and aerodynamic efficiency over downforce.
Moreover, running the car for over 24 hours also means driving at night, without solar power. This requires a strong strategy and optimized grid charging.
Meanwhile, the KU Leuven students of the Innoptus Solar Team are working on a new car to compete in the 2027 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in Australia. The team has already won the championship twice, becoming world champion in 2019 and 2023. Next summer, it will try to add a third world title in the 3,000-kilometer race through the Australian outback, from Darwin to Adelaide.
