29.08.2025
cooperation

Solaride’s third solar car came second at World Solar Challenge

The Solaride team was welcomed by the Director of Administration of the University of Tartu, Kstina Noormets, at Tallinn Airport.
The Solaride team was welcomed by the Director of Administration of the University of Tartu, Kstina Noormets, at Tallinn Airport.
Author: Kermo Lukas

The car Solaride III Enefit, built with the help of University of Tartu students, won second place in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge – a world championship for solar cars held in Australia, covering nearly 3,000 kilometres.

On 7 September, the Solaride team returned to Estonia. They were welcomed at Tallinn Airport by Director of Administration of the University of Tartu Kstina Noormets. “Solaride's achievements show how our brilliant students can reach the top of the world through their knowledge and inter-university collaboration. Even during university studies, it is possible to accomplish great things and be a role model for others!” said Noormets.

The solar car race began last Sunday in Darwin on Australia’s northern coast and finished early Friday morning in Adelaide on the southern coast.

In 2023, Solaride’s second car took third place in the same competition, so this time, the goal was to win first place in the Cruiser class. Solaride III Enefit was still in the lead the day before the finish, but then a competitor overtook them, and Solaride had to settle for second place, losing by just five minutes.

Solaride’i kolmas päikeseauto ja peainsener Joosep Ress
Third solar car of the student project Solaride. Author: Sandra Süsi

The Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, with a 35-year history, brings together students, top universities, and leading companies from around the world every two years. This time, nearly 15 million people followed the race.

The Solaride car was built over the course of a year and a half by more than 30 members of Solaride’s engineering team, who come from various universities and upper secondary schools in addition to the University of Tartu. Other project members from the marketing, people operations, finance, and training and development teams also contributed to the completion of the solar car.

Solaride is an interdisciplinary educational and cooperation project that started in 2020 and led to the completion of the first solar car in the Baltics. The project's main goal is to develop future talents and popularise engineering education. In collaboration with Solaride’s members, mentors, Estonian universities, and private and public sector institutions, already the third solar car has now been completed.