The Solis team, made up of 23 students and two professors from the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca (UTCN), together with a representative of the Romanian Auto Registry, is competing in the world’s most prestigious competition dedicated to solar-powered vehicles – the 2025 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, according to Business Review.
The competition takes place along a 3,020 km route from Darwin to Adelaide, crossing the Australian desert. Organised between 24 and 31 August, it is not just a race, but a test of efficiency. Each day, teams are allowed to drive only between 08:00 and 17:00, after which they camp in the middle of the desert and prepare for the next stage.
The vehicle competing under Romania’s flag, Hyperion, is the most advanced prototype ever developed by the Solis UTCN team. So far, Hyperion has reached a top speed of over 100 km/h, a testament to the ambition of the young team from Cluj.
Solis is competing in the Challenger category, where cars can carry only one occupant and the winner is the most efficient and aerodynamic solar vehicle. This year’s regulations bring new challenges: a maximum solar panel surface of 6 m², a battery capacity limited to 3 kWh, and the ability to withstand the harsh conditions of the Australian desert.
On August 9, the first group of 15 team members arrived in Darwin and began preparing for the competition. On August 16, the second part of the team joined them, taking part in the fine-tuning of the vehicle and other essential preparations. On Monday, August 18, the team entered the “scrutineering” stage – the static inspection of the car’s compliance with technical and safety regulations. On August 23, Hyperion passed the dynamic test, qualifying with a time of 2:23:37, which secured a starting position of 20th.
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