Georgia Tech Solar Racing Team Sets Record at Electrek American Solar Challenge

The Georgia Tech Solar Racing team returned from this year's Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP) and Electrek American Solar Challenge (ASC) with hardware in hand, setting team and competition records in the process.

The team's 655-kilogram vehicle, dubbed SR-4 Aurora and powered by a 14-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack, 1.2-kilowatt solar array, and custom in-hub radial flux motors, propelled the team to first place in the Grand Prix's multi-occupant category. Held at the Brainerd International Raceway in Minnesota, the Formula Sun Grand Prix tested each vehicle's handling, endurance, and efficiency. For laps completed, optimization, and efficiency, Tech won with a score of 95.8 (out of 100) and was the only team to place four people in its vehicle throughout the event.

The FSGP served as a qualifier for the premier collegiate solar car event in North America, the American Solar Challenge. The biannual event, which began on July 25, featured teams traveling more than 1,600 miles along the Great River Road and Route 66 from Minneapolis to Amarillo, Texas, over eight days. Tech was one of three multi-occupant teams to complete the challenge, and, once again, the only team to do so with four riders - setting an all-time ASC record for the highest average occupancy.

After placing third in the FSGP last year, the team returned to Georgia Tech's Student Competition Center to begin fine-tuning the SR-4. Weekly testing pushed the car to its limits. Outgoing team president Sam Woolsey recalled that many testing days ended with car components failing. The team addressed mechanical and electrical speed bumps along the way, including an issue that forced them to ship their motors back to their supplier early in the summer. They got the motors back just four days before the competition.

"We went into this competition without any expectations because our car had broken so much in front of us. But every time that car broke down was an issue we learned about and now knew how to fix it. It was satisfying to come to the competition after all those testing days ended in sadness, because we were prepared for almost anything that our car could throw at us. And on site, we had one of the most reliable cars at that competition," Woolsey said.

While the next American Solar Challenge is in 2028, the victories and records at this year's event only serve to motivate the team to work harder to improve ahead of next year's Formula Sun Grand Prix. The team intends to launch a new car and compete in the single-occupant category

"The work has already started," Woolsey said.

The team's success didn't occur overnight. Woolsey credits the hundreds of students who have contributed to the vehicle, dating back to its design phase in 2020. Georgia Tech Solar Racing currently has more than 150 active members, which they expect to grow. The team is primarily made up of mechanical and electrical engineering majors, but all students are encouraged to join.

"We're proud to be one of the teams in the Student Competition Center that is pushing forward what extracurriculars can do for your education," Woolsey said. "There are few other places on campus where you can learn the kind of technical communication, the group work dynamics, and the real-world problem-solving opportunities that you get here. It's the epitome of what a Georgia Tech education is about."