Henkel Powers Student Solar Team’s 3,000-Kilometer Challenge Across Australia with Advanced Adhesive Solutions

Henkel Powers Student Solar Team’s 3,000-Kilometer Challenge Across Australia with Advanced Adhesive Solutions

(IN BRIEF) Henkel is partnering with the Aachen-based student team “Sonnenwagen” for the 2025 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, the world’s toughest solar car race. The team’s solar-powered vehicle, “Aethon,” will travel 3,000 kilometers from Darwin to Adelaide across the Australian Outback, relying on Henkel’s advanced adhesive technologies. Henkel is supplying structural adhesives, carbon fiber bonding solutions, threadlockers, and repair adhesives—products widely used in the automotive industry—to enhance the car’s performance, durability, and efficiency. The collaboration highlights Henkel’s commitment to supporting young engineering talent while showcasing the sustainability and innovation potential of its solutions in demanding applications.

(PRESS RELEASE) DÜSSELDORF, 14-Aug-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Henkel is lending its expertise to the student-led “Sonnenwagen” project as the team prepares to compete in the prestigious Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in Australia later this month. Known as the world’s most demanding solar car race, the event will see competitors travel 3,000 kilometers from Darwin in the north to Adelaide in the south, crossing the vast and challenging Australian Outback. Representing Aachen, Germany, the team—comprising students from RWTH Aachen University and FH Aachen—will compete with their solar-powered car, “Aethon,” which incorporates Henkel’s high-performance adhesive technologies.

As a sponsor for the 2025 race, Henkel is supplying the team with a range of advanced adhesive solutions critical to both performance and reliability. These include structural adhesives for bonding mechanical components, specialized materials for carbon fiber manufacturing, threadlockers to secure chassis components against extreme vibrations, and repair adhesives designed to minimize downtime during the competition. The car’s body, made predominantly from ultra-light carbon fiber, benefits from Henkel adhesives that ensure strong, durable bonds while supporting the vehicle’s aerodynamic efficiency and lightweight construction—key factors in maximizing solar-powered performance.

All the Henkel products used in the Sonnenwagen are proven in the automotive sector and other industries, ensuring professional-grade performance under the extreme conditions of the race.

“There is a strong overlap between the team’s ideas and Henkel’s,” said Sjoerd Dijkstra, Director Sustainability Strategy & Excellence at Henkel Adhesive Technologies. “Our partnership allows us to support young engineering talent while demonstrating how our adhesive solutions deliver both performance and sustainability in highly demanding applications. This collaboration is also an ideal platform to showcase how such innovations can help shape the future of mobility and the automotive industry.”

The Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, held biennially since 1987, brings together international teams to push the boundaries of solar-powered transport. The 2025 edition will begin at the end of August and test each team’s engineering skill, endurance, and commitment to sustainable mobility.

About Henkel
With its brands, innovations and technologies, Henkel holds leading market positions worldwide in the industrial and consumer businesses. The business unit Adhesive Technologies is the global leader in the market for adhesives, sealants and functional coatings. With Consumer Brands, the company holds leading positions especially in laundry & home care and hair in many markets and categories around the world. The company’s three strongest brands are Loctite, Persil and Schwarzkopf. In fiscal 2024, Henkel reported sales of more than 21.6 billion euros and adjusted operating profit of around 3.1 billion euros. Henkel’s preferred shares are listed in the German stock index DAX. Sustainability has a long tradition at Henkel, and the company has a clear sustainability strategy with specific targets. Henkel was founded in 1876 and today employs a diverse team of about 47,000 people worldwide – united by a strong corporate culture, shared values and a common purpose: “Pioneers at heart for the good of generations.” More information at www.henkel.com

Media Contacts:

Sina Pfanschilling
Phone +49 211 797-99 04
Email sina.pfanschilling@henkel.com

Sebastian Hinz
Phone: +49 211 797-58 94
Email: sebastian.hinz@henkel.com

SOURCE: Henkel AG & Co. KGaA