Bridgestone World Solar Challenge is the world’s premier solar car race, using solar energy as the sole power source to travel approximately 3,000 kilometers from Darwin in Northern Australia to Adelaide in the South for about 5 days. The competition features three classes: the Challenger Class, which determines the world’s fastest solar car; the Cruiser Class, which incorporates practicality; and the Explorer Class, which focuses more on the enjoyment of the event rather than rankings. Around 40 teams, including university students from around the world, race across the vast Australian continent over the course of 5 to 6 days.
The permitted driving time is from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM each day. At night, each team camps out in the middle of the vast desert, making this a unique event that also incorporates elements of survival. Since the development of solar cars requires knowledge in various scientific fields such as aerodynamics, electrical engineering, and electronics, it is recognized globally as a platform for nurturing engineers across disciplines. Furthermore, in addition to vehicle development, some student teams manage everything from fundraising to team management while balancing their academic studies, making this race a significant learning and growth opportunity for the students involved.
