Solar Team Twente claims second place in thrilling 2025 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge finale

Solar Team Twente with solar car at the finish in Adelaide

(IN BRIEF) Solar Team Twente finished second in the 2025 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge after an intense five-day race across Australia. On the final day, the team briefly closed the gap to frontrunner Brunel Solar Team to just 500 meters, but a rain shower tipped the balance, securing Brunel the win. Throughout the event, the Dutch teams from Delft and Twente, alongside Belgium’s Innoptus Solar Team, fought a close and thrilling battle for the top three spots. Team manager Daniel Blik praised the effort and spirit of the Twente squad, stressing their pride in the achievement. With months of preparation and innovative engineering behind them, the students from Saxion and the University of Twente continue to contribute to the advancement of sustainable mobility.

(PRESS RELEASE) ENSCHEDE, 29-Aug-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — The 2025 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge came to a dramatic close in Adelaide, where Solar Team Twente secured an outstanding second-place finish in the Challenger Class after five days of intense racing across the Australian outback. Beginning on 24 August, the race brought together some of the most advanced solar cars in the world, with Twente delivering a performance that kept the competition gripping until the very end.

The final day began with a decisive move from Solar Team Twente as they overtook Belgium’s Innoptus Solar Team, reclaiming second place while their rivals were still charging at the roadside. With renewed momentum, the team pushed hard and steadily narrowed the gap to leaders Brunel Solar Team. At one stage, the Twente solar car was just 500 meters behind the frontrunners, a nail-biting moment that had the team on edge. However, a sudden Australian rain shower disrupted the closing chase, allowing Brunel to regain distance and ultimately cross the finish line first.

Throughout the competition, the top three teams from Delft, Leuven, and Twente remained locked in a head-to-head battle, exchanging positions at checkpoints and racing side by side across the desert landscape. This rivalry delivered one of the most suspenseful editions of the event in recent years.

Reflecting on the result, team manager Daniel Blik said: “The team is incredibly proud of this second-place finish. Everyone gave their best effort and stayed sharp right until the final moment. It feels great knowing we got everything out of ourselves and the car. While it’s not first place, the achievement stands strong, and we wholeheartedly congratulate Brunel Solar Team on their victory.”

The final standings in the Challenger Class saw Brunel Solar Team take the win, followed by Solar Team Twente in second place and Innoptus Solar Team in third.

Solar Team Twente, comprised of students from Saxion University of Applied Sciences and the University of Twente, devoted 18 months to designing and building one of the world’s most efficient solar cars. Beyond the race, their work embodies a broader mission: to pioneer innovations under changing regulations that push the boundaries of sustainable technology, with the potential to influence the global mobility sector.

About Solar Team Twente

Solar Team Twente is a student team which consists of students from Saxion University of Applied Sciences and the University of Twente. The team spent a year and a half designing and building the most efficient solar car in the world. With this solar car, the team was present at the start of the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge on August 24th, 2025. For optimal preparation, it is essential that the team goes through various test phases in which not only the car, but also the team members are prepared for the race.
Due to the ever-changing regulations, all participating teams are challenged every edition to come up with new innovations. These innovations will ultimately contribute to making the mobility sector more sustainable worldwide.

Media Contact:

J.C. Vreeman (Jochem)
Press relations (available Mon-Fri)
+31 6 5432 6671
j.c.vreeman@utwente.nl
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SOURCE: University of Twente