Inside the 2025 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge : Racing the Winter Sun
The World Solar Challenge, often known as the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge (BWSC), is in full swing. The event started early on Sunday, August 24, in Darwin and covered around 3,000 km over the desolate Australian Outback to Adelaide.
This year is a big change: for the first time, the race is in the winter, when there is around 20% less sunlight, especially in the south. To solve this problem, new rules enable bigger solar panel allowances but require smaller battery capacity. This forces teams to optimise how they gather solar energy in real time instead of relying on big energy reserves.
A Rich Tapestry of Participants & Traditions
- There are 34 teams from 17 different countries competing this year.
- Richie Fejo, an elder from the Larrakia people, led a traditional Saltwater Ceremony at Darwin Waterfront. This cultural blessing honoured the land’s original caretakers and gave all the teams spiritual protection as they set off on their trek.
Important Technical and Strategic Points
Problems and New Ideas in Design
The Unlimited 6.0 solar car, led by electrical expert Micah Honan, from Western Sydney University, demonstrates the limitations of its power: at highway speeds, it uses about the same amount of energy as boiling a kettle.
UNSW’s Sunswift Racing is trying to make up for past mistakes. In 2023, their Sunswift 7 was the best at the point-based scoring system, but it didn’t finish the race because the wind was too strong. They have recently revamped and rebuilt the automobile to make it lighter by 250 kg and more efficient, which will help them win in 2025.
More and More Contestants and New Technology
Monty is back at the Australian National University (ANU) with Sundrive’s improved copper heterojunction (HJT) solar cells. They’re getting the car ready by putting it through a lot of tests at Coober Pedy. They want to take advantage of the new rules that let them have a bigger solar array area (4 m² → 6 m²) but less battery storage (18 MJ → 11 MJ).
The Adelaide University Solar Racing Team (AUSRT) has developed and launched Lumen III, their first solar car in eight years. Strategy specialists employ real-time optimisation to control speeds that use less energy. They combine what they learn in school with what they do in the Outback.
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Format and Setting of the Race
Every day, teams travel until 5 p.m., then camp in the desert, getting used to the harsh, lonely conditions of the Stuart Highway.
There are three classifications in the event:
- Challenger: one seat, solar-only endurance.
- Cruiser: Vehicles with more than one seat could only charge outside after dark.
- Explorer: focused on new ideas and technologies.
Why It’s Important to Push the Limits
This tough event isn’t just about crossing borders; it’s also a test of clean-tech innovation, engineering skills, and sustainability. Every part of this test could change the future of renewable transport, whether it’s fine-tuning aerodynamics, trying out new solar cells, or coming up with plans for managing energy use.
Participants get a lot of useful experience, and for many, it’s a stepping stone to a career in sustainable engineering. Chris Selwood, the BWSC ambassador, adds that it’s “a remarkable platform for advancing future green transportation.”
Conclusion
The 2025 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge shows how smart and ambitious people can be when it comes to the environment. The race is racing tomorrow’s sustainable transportation into life, one solar car at a time, under the unique pressure of winter sun and thinner batteries, and with the help of cultural rituals and global teamwork.
Do you want to see more of any team, technology, or everyday progress on the route?
