European Solar Challenge 2022

Here is a list of 17 teams from 11 countries (9 Challenger teams and 8 Cruiser teams) intending to race in the iLumen European Solar Challenge in September this year (with scrutineering beginning on the 15^th). Team numbers are a bit of a guess on my part at this stage, and some of the teams (Aachen, Eindhoven, and Twente) will be fielding two cars. See also the race social media at      

The 24-hour track race will start at 13:00 on the 17^th, with sunset at 19:49 that evening and sunrise at 07:18 the next morning, and with the race continuing until 13:00 on the 18^th. The race will begin with a Le Mans-style start. The track is 4.011 km long. For fans at home interested in the weather, check the forecast. Also, at the top of this page is a webcam nearby, looking west, towards the Zolder racetrack. This webcam is at the track itself (with a view of the “Kleine Chicane,” looking roughly north from just about the centre of the track). Circuit Zolder also has a live timing board and tracker.

6    Top Dutch Solar Racing 

Challenger (Green Lightning) – they raced their new Green Spirit in Morocco, but they will be racing the older Green Lightning here.

Previously, Top Dutch came 4^th at WSC 19; came 3^rd at iESC 20; and came 4^th at SCM 21.

 
Left: Anthony Dekker / Right: credit (click images to zoom)

8    Agoria Solar Team / KU Leuven 

Asymmetric challenger (BluePoint) – they are racing their catamaran here, and their newer BluePoint Atlas in South Africa.

Previously, Agoria came 6^th at WSC 13; came 5^th at WSC 15; came 3^rd at WSC 17; won WSC 19; came 3^rd at Abu Dhabi 15; came 2^nd at SASOL 22; came 2^nd at iESC 16; came 6^th at iESC 18; came 1^st and 6^th at iESC 20; won iESC 21; won Carrera Solar Atacama 18; and came 2^nd at SCM 21. Their team number (8) is a long-standing tradition.

 
Left: Anthony Dekker / Right: credit (click images to zoom)

9    Onda Solare 

Four-seat cruiser (Emilia 4 LT) – they won the American Solar Challenge (Cruiser class) in 2018, and they have written up their design process here, but they have since made substantial improvements to the vehicle, including to the aerodynamics, suspension, battery, and solar panels. There is also an unusual open tail. Immediately after iESC, they will also be attending the Italian Solar Challenge near Bologna    

Previously, Onda came 10^th at WSC 13; participated in the WSC 19 Cruiser class; won the ASC 18 Cruiser class; came 10^th at Abu Dhabi 15; came 6^th at iESC 16; and won the iESC 21 Cruiser class. Their team number (9) is taken from the SS 9, the highway through Bologna, which was once the Roman Via Aemilia (hence also the name of their vehicle).

 
Left: credit / Right: credit (click images to zoom)

11    BoSolarCar Association (BOSolarCar e.V.) 

Two-seat cruiser (thyssenkrupp SunRiser) – BOSolarCar e.V. is an association of Bochum alumni that maintains and races old Bochum cars. Immediately after iESC, they will also be attending the Italian Solar Challenge near Bologna    

Previously, Bochum came 2^nd in the WSC 13 Cruiser class; came 3^rd in the WSC 15 Cruiser class; came 2^nd in the WSC 17 Cruiser class; came 4^th in the WSC 19 Cruiser class; came 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th at iESC 16; came 2^nd, 3^rd, and 5^th in the iESC 18 Cruiser class; came 3^rd and 4^th in the iESC 21 Cruiser class; came 1^st and 7^th at Albi Eco 18; came 1^st and 2^nd at Albi Eco 19; and came 3^rd at Albi Eco 22.

 
Left: SolarLabor / Right: Anthony Dekker (click images to zoom)

17    Kratos EAFIT 

Four-seat cruiser (Kratos II) – the new Kratos II looks very much like the older 2-seater Kratos. The car has been packed for shipping.

Previously, Kratos came 13^th at WSC 13; came 9^th at WSC 15; participated at iESC 16; and came 4^th in the iESC 18 Cruiser class.

 
Left: credit / Right: credit (click images to zoom)

21    Solar Team Twente 

Three-wheel (tadpole) challenger (Red Horizon) – they are also racing their 2019 catamaran RED E (42).

Previously, Twente came 3^rd at WSC 13; came 2^nd at WSC 15; came 5^th at WSC 17; came 17^th at WSC 19; won iESC 16; came 1^st and 2^nd at iESC 18; came 2^nd and 4^th at iESC 20; came 3^rd at iESC 21; and won SCM 21. Their team number (21) is a pun and a wish for success in the race (“Twente-One”).

 
Left: Anthony Dekker / Right: credit (click images to zoom)

23    University of Nottingham Solar Racing Team 

Cruiser (new team) – their rather radical approach is to modify a Renault Twizy to have solar panels, improved electrics, and second life Nissan Leaf batteries. They aim to participate at iESC 2022 with their first car. This team is not racing.

photo: UoN team (click image to zoom)

31    Solar Energy Racers 

Three-wheel (tadpole) challenger (SER-4) – they raced their SER-3 in South Africa and Australia, but they are racing their new SER-4 here.

Previously, SER came 5^th at WSC 13; came 15^th at WSC 19; came 2^nd at ASC 16; came 11^th at Abu Dhabi 15; came 3^rd at SASOL 18; came 8^th at iESC 16; and came 4^th at iESC 21.

picture credit (click image to zoom)

34    Istanbul Technical University (ITU) 

Challenger (Ariba X) – this car replaces their older B.O.W. It has been touring Turkey.

Previously, ITU came 17^th at WSC 13; participated at WSC 17; came 7^th at iESC 16; came 7^th at iESC 20; and came 8^th at iESC 21. Their team number (34) is the vehicle license plate prefix for Istanbul.

 
Left: Anthony Dekker / Right: credit (click images to zoom)

40    Solar Team Eindhoven 

Four-seat cruiser (Stella Era) – their focus for 2021 was a Self-sustaining House On Wheels (Stella Vita). They are racing both it (41) and their previous Stella Era (40) here, although it seems that Stella Vita is not racing competitively.

Previously, Eindhoven won the WSC 13 Cruiser class; won the WSC 15 Cruiser class; won the WSC 17 Cruiser class; won the WSC 19 Cruiser class; came 7^th in the iESC 18 Cruiser class; and came 1^st and 2^nd in the iESC 20 Cruiser class. Their team number (40) is the Eindhoven telephone area code.

 
Left: Anthony Dekker / Right: credit (click images to zoom)

43    Ardingly Ifield Solar 

Two-seat cruiser (The Basking Beastie) – this high-school team came 6^th in the 2018 iESC Cruiser class, and have upgraded the car since then. They also did a UK solar tour, and also attended the British Motor Show.

Previously, Ardingly participated in the WSC 15 Cruiser class; participated in the WSC 19 Adventure class; came 6^th in the iESC 18 Cruiser class; and participated at Albi Eco 19.

 
Left: Anthony Dekker / Right: credit (click images to zoom)

45    Lodz Solar Team 

Four-seat cruiser (Eagle Two) – this car is still going strong.

Previously, Lodz participated in the WSC 15 Cruiser class; participated in the WSC 17 Cruiser class; participated in the WSC 19 Cruiser class; came 5^th at SASOL 16; won the iESC 18 Cruiser class; and came 2^nd in the iESC 21 Cruiser class. Their team number (45) is a tradition since 2015.

 
Left: Anthony Dekker / Right: credit (click images to zoom)

51    Chalmers Solar Team 

Three-wheel (tadpole) challenger (Sköll) – they are racing their elegant bullet car again.

Previously, Chalmers came 21^st at WSC 19; came 5^th at iESC 21; participated at Swedish Solar Race 21; and came 6^th at SCM 21.

 
Left: credit / Right: credit (click images to zoom)

70    Sonnenwagen Aachen 

Three-wheel (outrigger) challenger (Covestro Photon) – they are racing their new car as 7, and their older monohull, Covestro Sonnenwagen as 70. Immediately after iESC, they will also be attending the Italian Solar Challenge near Bologna    

Previously, Aachen participated at WSC 17; came 6^th at WSC 19; came 3^rd at iESC 18; came 5^th and 8^th at iESC 20; came 2^nd and 6^th at iESC 21; and came 5^th at SCM 21. Their team number (70) is the number they raced with in 2017.

 
Left: Anthony Dekker / Right: credit (click images to zoom)

81    Solar Team Solaris (Dokuz Eylül University) 

Challenger (S11) – they have replaced their old catamaran with a bullet car, which they will be racing again. Immediately after iESC, they will also be attending the Italian Solar Challenge near Bologna    

Previously, Solaris participated in the WSC 13 Adventure class; came 25^th at WSC 15; came 18^th at WSC 19; came 9^th at iESC 16; came 7^th at iESC 21; came 2^nd at Albi Eco 18; and came 2^nd at MSRC 19.

 
Left: credit / Right: credit (click images to zoom)

98    Fontys Automotive Solar Team (NovaFAST) 

Two-seat cruiser (new team) – this new team from the Fontys University of Applied Sciences is located in the Eindhoven area, 19 km from Solar Team Eindhoven. They aim to participate at iESC 2022 with their first car, and their roadmap has them participating at WSC in 2025. This team is not racing.

picture credit (click image to zoom)

99    Solis-EV (TU Cluj-Napoca) 

Challenger (Solis) – this is team is from Cluj-Napoca in Romania. Immediately after iESC, they will also be attending the Italian Solar Challenge near Bologna    

Previously, Solis-EV came 9^th at iESC 21.

 
Left: credit / Right: credit (click images to zoom)

This page last updated 14:42 on 18 September 2022 AEST.

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