Solar Team Twente announces it is swapping the World Solar Challenge in Australia for international rally racing after 20 years of participation. In the coming years, the team wants to work towards participation in the Rally du Maroc, which is part of the World Rally-Raid Championship.
The University of Twente student team has participated in the World Solar Challenge since 2005. The team, whose composition changes every year, builds ultralight solar cars optimised for the race across Australia of almost 3,000 kilometres. Several times the team managed to capture podium places.
Innovation ceiling
However, the team speaks of an innovation ceiling. "The World Solar Challenge has brought us a huge amount, but the technical space to really take new steps became smaller and smaller," explains team leader Daniel Blik. "Over the years, designs have become very focused on one specific race. Instead, we want to pioneer again and develop technology that is more broadly applicable."
The team hopes to gain this space by making the switch to rally racing. Unlike solar cars, this is not just about maximum efficiency on tarmac, but also performance in extreme conditions. Think sand dunes, rocky terrain and sharp temperature differences. According to Solar Team Twente, this requires new solutions in terms of energy management, cooling, materials and data analysis. The student team argues that these challenges are better aligned with current issues in sustainable mobility and electrification.
Multiple stages over tough terrain
The Rally du Maroc is a so-called rally-raid event. In it, participants cover hundreds of kilometres daily over tough terrain. Participants drive several stages through desert-like terrain during the event. The race is televised internationally.
Solar Team Twente wants to be the first student team to develop a fully solar-powered rally car. In this way, the team wants to show that extreme motorsport can also be sustainable. "We remain Solar Team Twente: the sun remains our energy source," says Blik. "But precisely in rallies we can show that sustainable technology also works outside ideal conditions. That makes the impact bigger."
More cooperation with business possible
In addition, the student team points to more opportunities for collaboration with industry by switching to rally technology. For instance, used components are less niche than in solar cars, meaning innovations can find their way into practical applications in both industry and mobility more quickly.
"Students want to build technology that has visible impact," says Blik. "With rallies, we can push boundaries again. Not only technically, but also in how we collaborate with partners and how we make sustainable innovation visible."
Competing competitively in rankings
Initially, the team wants to focus on completing solar-powered stages. In the long term, the team wants to compete competitively in the standings. "We have shown that you can be among the world's best with solar cars," says Blik. "Now we want to show again what Twente is strong at: daring to innovate."
